Everytime that medical science sets out to find '
    the cause of colic, it runs into a          '
                problem.                        '
                                                '
The same cause of colic is not found in every   '
child that has colic.  Some children with colic '
have gas in their intestines, others do not.    '
                                                '
Some children have tense parents or tension in  '
the home, others do not.                        '
                                                '
Some children appear to be allergic to milk,    '
others are not.                                 '
                                                '
To qualify as a disease, it must have one cause.'
                                                '
This is not to say that a number of doctors do  '
not believe that there is a single cause that   '
has not been identified yet.  You may well have '
a pediatrician that believes that the cause is  '
known and can show you research to prove it.    '
                                                '
What it does mean is that other researchers have'
found that it is caused by different things or  '
can point out problems with the research that   '
make their results questionnable.               '
                                                '
The research goes on to both rule out things and'
to identify all of the different things that can'
result in the child experiencing colic.         '
                                                '
                                                '
Even when a doctor believes that it is possible '
to know the cause of colic in your child's      '
case, their may be little to offer you in the   '
way of treatment except advice and support.     '
                                                '
You and your care is the best asset your child  '
has and even that may not be enough to make your'
child comfortable and eliminate colic.          '
                                                '
Often, the advice and support your pediatrician '
has is for your benefit as much as for your     '
child.  This does not mean that you are the     '
problem or the patient.  What it does mean is   '
your welfare is the best way to see that your   '
child gets the best care available.             '
                                                '
Changing the diet of a child often results in or'
eliminates the signs of colic.                  '
                                                '
Not only what a child eats but also how much and'
how a child is fed can make a difference.  Also,'
the timing of feeding and even the position the '
child is fed in can make a difference.          '
                                                '
If the child is breast fed, the diet of the     '
mother matters.  If bottle fed, the consistency '
of the formula and even the size of the hole in '
the nipple can make a difference.               '
                                                '
Many children cannot digest certain things and a'
feeling that allergy may play a part is common. '
                                                '
Preliminary research shows that some children   '
      have digestive systems that are           '
         not ready to digest food.              '
                                                '
Our digestive tracks require chemicals like     '
      enzymes are needed to break down          '
      food so that it can be digested.          '
                                                '
Further, digestion requires that the nervous    '
      systems send the right sort of signals    '
      at the right time for things to run well. '
                                                '
For children to avoid colic everything inside   '
has to be mature enough to work right and to    '
work together.                                  '
                                                '
The link between tension and stomach pain has   '
been noted by physicians for a long time.  The  '
similar notion that tension plays a part in     '
colic has been noted as well.                   '
                                                '
Physicians have also observed that some children'
have a predisposition to colic such that almost '
any discomfort can trigger an episode.  This    '
predisposition is assumed to be hereditary and  '
similarly assumed to be associated with the     '
central nervous system.                         '
                                                '
Clearly, tension can upset a stomach or make a  '
bad condition worse.  This is true whether an   '
adult or a child.  Calm and soothing is better. '
                                                '
A child's well being, particularly when very    '
young is a question of delicate balance.  Many  '
things can upset this delicate balance.  Some of'
these are internal and many others are external.'
                                                '
Each child has sort of a regulatory system that '
holds things in balance in the face of demands  '
for change.  The threshold over which things    '
start falling apart varies from child to child. '
                                                '
When the environment becomes too much to handle '
the child may well go tilt and a case of colic  '
may result.  This can happen from too much      '
happening or an abrupt change in what is going  '
on.  With a predisposition, colic can result.   '
                                                '
A cure attacks the cause and brings relief.  It '
can also assure that a problem does not come    '
back.                                           '
                                                '
Often, medicine does not have a cure but has    '
developed ways to treat the symptoms.  By keep- '
ing the body under control, the disease can run '
its course without the negative impact it might '
otherwise have.                                 '
                                                '
Management of a disorder can bring relief and   '
minimize the impact of the disorder without ever'
addressing the underlying causes.               '
                                                '
Many things parents can do to help manage colic.'
                                                '
Medicine has developed treatments for the sym-  '
 ptoms of colic that can bring some relief to   '
       both the child and the parents.          '
                                                '
These treatments are typically used as a last   '
resort or in extreme cases.                     '
                                                '
Many of these medicines have a tranquilizing    '
on the child and some address probable internal '
stress.                                         '
                                                '
It is even not unusual for the parents to re-   '
ceive tranquilizers, not because they are the   '
source of the problem but rather to better help '
them to manage their child.                     '
                                                '
A child does not have many ways to handle       '
               distress.                        '
                                                '
Distress or stomach pain can potentially come   '
        from a number of sources from           '
              gas to tension.                   '
                                                '
Regardless of the source of the discomfort, the '
        result is uncontrollable crying.        '
                                                '
Often, nothing can be done about the source of  '
   discomfort but the pain can be managed.      '
                                                '
Medical treatments address the symptoms and are '
typically used when more benign efforts fail.   '
                                                '
  This section of your COMPANION explores the   '
               Causes of COLIC.                 '
Unfortunately, there is a lot of disagreement as'
     what the causes of COLIC are and what      '
           can be done about it.                '
                                                '
You will be presented with a number of different'
points of view on the causes of Colic.  You will'
see ten different screens.  Each screen has more'
detail available, if you want it.               '
                                                '
After each position, you will be asked to show  '
how much you agree with the position.  This is  '
necessary for me to learn more about you and    '
how best to be of service to you.               '
                                                '
                                                '