Regulatory disorder in babies: causes and methods

A regulatory disorder often occurs in babies in the first three months of life and was therefore called three-month colic for a long time . However, since the cause of this has not yet been precisely identified, doctors prefer to use the term regulatory disorder.

What is a regulatory disorder?

One such disorder is a stage in which babies cry for several hours a day for weeks, for no apparent reason. In some cases, this can last up to six months. Strictly speaking, as a parent, you can orientate yourself on this:

• In the first few weeks, your baby will cry for more than three hours a day and more than three days a week .
• Your baby also keeps crying for more than three weeks .
• You can’t see any reason for your child’s crying and nothing will calm them down.
• Crying is more reminiscent of screaming fits or screaming attacks and often occurs out of nowhere.

These are all symptoms of a regulatory disorder in babies. However, this is only a phase and not a real disease.

Reasons for a regulatory disorder in babies

There are a lot of theories about this phase, but no proven approaches to date.

Abdominal cramps as a cause?

Since in many cases such crying attacks occur after the baby has eaten, many parents suspect that abdominal pain or digestive problems are the reasons for the crying. If you then take your baby to the doctor, he will not find anything abnormal in the amount of gas when examining the intestines. Another theory is that babies’ digestive tracts lack bacteria necessary for digestion, eventually leading to abdominal cramps.

Disorders in the parent-child relationship

Another possible explanation is based more on psychosocial causes. The mother-child relationship or the relationship with the caregiver plays a particularly important role. The decisive factor here is the complex communication between the baby and the caregiver. There is a reciprocal relationship between them, which is initially very one-sided: the baby reacts non-verbally to the impulses of the mother/father.

Through parental response, a baby learns to regulate its own behavior and impulses. As a parent, you assume a quasi-co-regulatory position in which you are your baby’s direct caregiver. If there are disturbances in this mutual interaction – these do not have to be serious problems – this can affect the development of your child. Some scientists also cite possible feelings of guilt on the part of the parents and frustration as reasons that could lead to a regulatory disorder in the baby.

Helpful methods for a regulatory disorder

There are a few methods you can use during such a crying burst to calm your baby down. If they are hunched on their back and may have a bloated stomach, an abdominal massage may help . Here we explain how to use them step by step. You can also try the following measures:

• Make sure that your baby gets enough and regular sleep – even during the day. That means avoiding over-tiredness or too many sensory impressions during the day.
• Do a lot with your child when it is awake. Give him enough attention and affection!
• Take your baby in your arms and rock it back and forth. Maintain close body contact so that it can feel you. You can also sing to him and talk to him soothingly. You can also play quiet music for him.

keep calm

The most important measure, however, is to remain calm. Your child can sense when you are nervous and frustrated. Do not transfer these emotions to your baby, but be his calming influence. It’s also perfectly okay to seek help from friends or your own parents. Because you should not overload yourself and use up all your strength! Remember that such a regulatory disorder is a phase – and not a permanent condition.

However, if you feel like this phase isn’t going away, you should see a pediatrician.