Colic Solved: The Essential Guide to Infant Reflux and the Care of Your Crying, Difficult-to- Soothe Baby

by Bryan Vartabedian

For generations, doctors have been diagnosing babies with colic, offering little comfort and few solutions to worried, weary parents. But recent medical advances made through cutting-edge technology now reveal that many if not most cases of colic are actually caused by acid reflux. In this revolutionary book, Bryan Vartabedian, a noted pediatric gastroenterologist and the father of two babies with acid reflux, provides hands-on, practical advice about this hidden epidemic–and how to make your own baby happy again.

• Recognize the seven signs of reflux in infancy.
• Discover the role of milk protein allergy–the other colic.
• Learn what, when, and how to feed an irritable baby and the best positions for sleep.
• Recognize the role of formula, breast milk, bottle systems, burping, and pacificers in your baby’s fussiness, and irritability.
• Understand when and why your baby may need testing for reflux.
Weigh the pros and cons of available treatment options.
Identify when a specialist is needed and where to find one.

Complete with inspiring real-life cases of colic solved, plus tips, sidebars, and illustrations, this essential guide provides real answers to a problem that has been upsetting babies–and parents–for years. Help and hope are at hand!

“This is the book for every parent whose young baby is a ‘bundle of misery,’ in pain, and hard to feed, and for that baby’s pediatrician, too.”
–Laura Nathanson, M.D., F.A.A.P., author of The Portable Pediatrician

“Great news for exhausted parents and for suffering babies! Colic Solved gets to the root of what is making many babies cry, and offers powerful, real-world solutions. This is a must-have book for desperate parents everywhere.”
–Alan Greene, MD, FAAP, author of From First Kicks to First Steps and founder of DrGreene.com

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction

320 pages, Paperback

First published February 27, 2007

Reviews

[Marcie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book really helped me to help my baby. Since it states that the two most common causes of colic are milk-protein allergy and acid reflux, I tested for the allergy first by avoiding all milk products for three weeks (I took calcium supplements since I was nursing). When this didn't help, I went to my baby's doctor, explained her symptoms to him and requested a prescription for Prevacid (in a tablet form that dissolves in water). He agreed to it, and my baby has been so much happier! Now she isn't in pain anymore! How can a baby be happy when acid is constantly burning their little throat? My baby wasn't spitting up much, so it was "silent reflux." I wish I had known this when my other two were babies -- my doctors didn't even realize there was a problem because all my kids have been very healthy and have thrived. They were just miserable babies! If your baby is extremely fussy, this book can help you end the suffering -- for both of you!

[Dianna Kraus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most fascinating read of 2017. 5 stars. prolly will read it again. 😂

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my preemie twins severed from severe acid reflux. The pediatrician always brushed it off as "colic" and didn't bother to do anything else. The first 7 months, my baby did not sleep more than 15 minutes at a time, and had to be put on an apnea monitor, because he would suffocate, foaming through the nose and mouth. It was terrifying. When that didn't happen, you would see him fuss, act in pain and his face would turn red--he was suffering, and that made me suffer.

This book helped me understand that "colic" is a general catch-all term for acid reflux.

[Chrissy DeVore · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't get to finish this until after my baby stopped her night time crying. 🙄 But I finished it anyway since it was pretty interesting anyway.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book saved my sanity. Most books/ people write off reflux as a minor problem, but when one's baby is screaming herself hoarse at every feeding, the problem seems insurmountable and simply can't be solved by loud shushing.

This book not only commiserates with tired, frustrated parents but also explains the issue in detail and presents a way for parents to advocate for their hurting babies. It uses plain language, but assumes an intelligent reader; therefore, I could fully understand my baby's problem and feel compassion for her hurting. Instead of feeling overwhelmed and incompetent, I began feeling patient and capable.

I would ABSOLUTELY recommend this to any parent with a GERD baby!

[Becca · Rating 3 out of 5]

My daughter had silent reflux and the only information I could find about it was online. I was really happy to see a new release book that would help other parents figure out why their baby is screaming all the time. I hope it gets more babies help from their doctors who won't dismiss their crying as just colic and tell parents to suffer through it. This doctor posits that there's no such thing as colic, and he hasn't met a case yet. There's always something physical that's bothering the baby. He discusses primary infant reflux and allergies, but he touches on a couple other issues, too. It's such a good feeling to know that you can do something.

[Kit · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had a colicky baby. Actually, my daughter was even diagnosed with reflux and given medication. Ultimately, though, I think it was a false diagnosis, and I unnecessarily medicated her. I worry that books like this will contribute to an increase in misdiagnosis. Having a colicky baby is hard, and parents are very vulnerable to anything that might "fix" it. Claiming that colic is overwhelmingly reflux in that situation is irresponsible.

[Meredith Kunz · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very revealing look at infant reflux by a pediatric gastroenterologist. A must-read if your baby is very fussy and spits up a lot. Gives you insights an average pediatrician won't. However, it's very pro-medication.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A LIFE SAVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If you have a baby who has been labeled "colicy" read this. It could be reflux and this will point you to possible treatments. It changed my extremely fussy baby into a happy, smiling, rarely crying baby!

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great info. A lot of helpful tips for the little sicko. With the medical climate the way it is, we really have to prepare before we go into the Dr. office. This book helps to educate a parent on the right questions to ask, at home care and great little tips.

[Mandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book explained a lot of things associated with reflux and colic very well, but did not provide any recommendations that I did not find in a 2-minute online search. He does provide a very positive, supportive outlook on a difficult situation.

[Lora · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book to read for some information about reflux... how it works, what causes it, what can be done to help it, different medications and their pros/cons. The author has an interesting idea that "colic" is most often reflux or a milk allergy. Wouldn't that be something?

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish I'd read this earlier on, since it all seems a bit less applicable now that we have been treating Gabe's reflux for months. But it's an interesting book, and a really solid introduction to reflux (and to a lesser extent, milk protein intolerance).

[Whit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chances are you are only going to read this if you need it. If you do then this is the best book I've seen in the market.

It is both helpful and entertaining.

[Kristy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good book if you think your child might have acid reflux or milk protein allergy. 90% of the book is about treatment and diagnosis of acid reflux in infants.

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you ever have to deal with colic, this is the only book that really helped much... other than that its just lots of rocking, singing, praying and waiting it out!!

[Lindsey]

helped me SO much with my 4 month old's acid reflux issues

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

EXCELLENT resource. May be the reason me and my baby are still alive.

[Heather Lei · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really educational book. I highly recommend it for anyone who has a "colicky" baby and doesn't feel like letting that baby scream in misery until the baby "grows out" of it.

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book; I just read it one baby too late.

[Liz Zimmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so helpful when all the others were not.

[Erica]

A useful guide for parents who have children suffering from reflux.