Colic for developmentalists

Our understanding of the etiology, pathophysiology, sequelae, incidence, and management of colic is hampered by the absence of a standard definition and accepted clinical criteria for colic. In this paper we distinguish colic from excessive crying and offer a set of criteria that can be used in clinical practice to determine if an infant has colic or excessive crying. We also discuss differences between colic and excessive crying from a developmental perspective, including biological and transactional components. We conclude that many components have long-term consequences for the parent-infant relationship, and we briefly consider some directions for colic management.