Digestive Disorders in Newborns: Colic, Constipation

Most infants experience mild digestive disorders in their first months of life, largely due to the immaturity of the digestive system. The most common conditions are infant colic, gastroesophageal reflux, and constipation and/or gas. These conditions can be improved and even prevented with the proper specialized physiotherapy treatment.

Although, in many babies, these problems tend to resolve spontaneously over time or through changes in feeding habits, it is important to understand them. With the help of a pediatric physiotherapist, these intense months become more manageable.

The “dreaded” infant colic is not a disease. It is a group of symptoms found in about 20% of newborns. It can be distressing for parents, usually beginning around 15 days of life and resolving by 3–4 months (when the digestive system reaches a higher level of maturity).

Its most common symptoms include:

• Sudden, inconsolable crying, usually more frequent in the late afternoon and evening— or no crying, but the baby is irritable, restless, constantly moving and drawing up their legs.
• Abdominal distension, gas, constipation, regurgitations, sucking difficulties, and irregular sleep patterns.

Possible causes of infant colic include: disorganized feeding, poor sucking, lactose intolerance, abnormal microbial composition in the intestinal flora, obstruction or immaturity of the intestines, reduced visceral fascial mobility, etc.

The techniques used by the physiotherapist aim to improve digestive function by facilitating intestinal mobility and relaxing its structures. These techniques are completely harmless and do not cause any pain or unwanted effects on the baby.

In addition, parents are taught at-home guidelines recommended by the physiotherapist to successfully achieve the proposed goals.