Helping a Colicky Baby

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Infantile colic, another medical mystery, baffles parents and doctors. Unlike renal (kidney) colic due to a stone, we don’t know what causes colic in babies. But whatever the cause, it frustrates and tires parents of affected infants.

Colic is defined as “paroxysms of inconsolable crying”.  Since there are many reasons babies cry, ranging from wet diapers to hunger to serious illness, doctors have established specific diagnostic criteria for colic, since there is no diagnostic test for it.

crying baby
courtesy Pixabay

Doctors consider the crying diagnostic of colic if it occurs

  • 3 hours per day
  • More than 3 days per week
  • Longer than 3 weeks.

Possible causes for colic include

  • Changes in gut bacteria
  • Intolerance to cow’s milk protein or lactose
  • Gut inflammation
  • Poor feeding technique
  • Maternal smoking or other nicotine use

The episodes typically resolve by 3 to 6 months of age.No long term  consequences result from colic, but parents and babies both need relief from the distress it causes.

Three strategies seem to be most helpful.

For breast fed infants,

Mother can try a low-allergen diet. This means restricting intake of cow’s milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soy and fish.

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fried eggs on toast
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Another alternative is the probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri (strain DSM 17938). Unfortunately in bottle fed babies, this seems to make colic worse.

So for bottle-fed infants, changing to a hydrolyzed formula, such as Gentlease, Nutramigen, Pregestimil, or Neocate is suggested. .

No smoking sign
Maternal smoking may be a cause of infant colic

Here are some other suggestions from Family Doctor.org .

As always, the best source of advice is your baby’s own physician, so talk first before making any changes.

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When To Have a Mammogram

updated June 18, 2026

This information is current as of the date of original publication or update but may have changed by the time you read this. Do not use this information for diagnosis or treatment purposes. Before making health decisions, discuss with a qualified healthcare professional.

According to a report published in JAMA, screening mammograms can reduce deaths from breast cancer. Breast exams done routinely do not decrease mortality.

Screening guidelines also do not apply to women with breast symptoms suggestive of cancer.These women need appropriate diagnostic testing which might include mammography, ultrasound, MRI, and/or biopsy. 

Breast cancer screening and treatment: One size doesn't fit all. bras hanging on a clothes line
photo from Medline, National Library of Medicine

American Cancer Society screening recommendations for women at average breast cancer risk

These guidelines are for women at average risk for breast cancer. For screening purposes, a woman is considered to be at average risk if she doesn’t have a personal history of breast cancer, a strong family history of breast cancer, or a genetic mutation known to increase risk of breast cancer (such as in a BRCA gene), and has not had chest radiation therapy before the age of 30. (See below for guidelines for women at high risk.)

  • Women between 40 and 44 have the option to start screening with a mammogram every year.
  • Women 45 to 54 should get mammograms every year.
  • Women 55 and older can switch to a mammogram every other year, or they can choose to continue yearly mammograms. Screening should continue as long as a woman is in good health and is expected to live at least 10 more years.
  • All women should understand what to expect when getting a mammogram for breast cancer screening – what the test can and cannot do.

Clinical breast exams (physical exams done by a health professional) are not recommended for breast cancer screening among average-risk women at any age.

These are guidelines for physicians to apply to each individual patient, not hard and fast rules. Some physicians may choose to follow the guidelines of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF)  

  • For ages 40-49 years, individualize the decision to screen every 2 years
  • For ages 50-74 years, screen every 2 years
  • For ages 75 years and older there is no recommendation.

Both organizations recommend that physicians discuss the decision to screen or not to screen with patients and base the decision after considering possible harms versus potential benefit.

And while breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among women in the United States, it is treatable and the chance of long term survival is high.

American Cancer Society screening recommendations for women at high risk

Women who are at high risk for breast cancer based on certain factors should get a breast MRI and a mammogram every year, typically starting at age 30. This includes women who:

  • Have a lifetime risk of breast cancer of about 20% to 25% or greater, according to risk assessment tools that are based mainly on family history (see below)
  • Have a known BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation (based on having had genetic testing)
  • Have a first-degree relative (parent, brother, sister, or child) with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation, and have not had genetic testing themselves
  • Had radiation therapy to the chest before they were 30 years old
  • Have Li-Fraumeni syndrome, Cowden syndrome, or Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba syndrome, or have first-degree relatives with one of these syndromes