The Vision - Chapters Four and Five

Chapter Four

Melinda woke up again and the officer was gone. Rich, however was by her side. "I found the scene exactly where you said." He states. There’s a crease between his eyebrows which means he was deeply confused. "But everything about that place screams dump site. Not kidnapping site. And that blood - well it could be from her pumps - or it could be much worse."
Melinda was suddenly jogged awake. "Why can I see you now? Of all times?"
"Because you need my help. And you work in a cemetery, what did you expect?" Rich replied with a chuckle.
Even Melinda smiled at the thought. "So what does that mean?"

"Well, if I’m right it could mean a variety of things. She was in with the wrong crowd, it was an accident, or even…" By the look on Rich’s face she knew something was wrong.
"What?" She said patiently. Her fingers tightened around the blanket.
"It was intended murder. But something spooked him." Rich stated soundly.
"How do you know it’s a ‘him’?" Melinda asked.
"Cindy was what? - 115 pounds at least. So most likely a male carried her to the van. There were tire treads. But they fade as it squeals out of the alley." Rich explained.

Melinda felt tears threaten her eyes. "It was my fault. I heard her screaming."
"When?"
"I left the bar at three-thirty, so uh, a little after then." Melinda reached for a tissue. "I heard her begging."
"Then it was defiantly an armed male who owns a van. Weapon might’ve been a knife or gun. But whatever it was, be assured he most likely didn’t use it. There was no gun residue or shell casings. No evidence whatsoever that he hurt her in the alley."
"What about the blood?" Melinda asked.
Rich hesitated. "Some of it was Cindy’s. Some of it was the perp’s. She fought back."
Melinda silently thought of Cindy all alone in that alley. She thought of where she found the keys. "Something doesn’t add up." She muttered. She swung out of the bed, and Rich smiled.
"Ready to do some police work?" He asked.

"There." Melinda felt a cold breeze and she clutched her jacket tighter. "That’s where I found the keys."
"That’s odd, since no one saw a struggle, and the bouncer said he was out for a smoke at the time." Rich noted.
Melinda circled the spot where she’d found the keys. Her vision was sharper, her senses alert. She nodded to herself. "It’s as though she looked up as she scrambled for her keys. And she was startled, so she dropped them." Melinda broke off.

"She knew the kidnapper." Melinda states firmly.
"If so, this is deeper than I thought." Rich said grimly. "Everyone’s a suspect."

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Chapter Five

Melinda and Rich start closing in on suspects...

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On the ride back to her house Melinda pondered what they had discovered. A male, who was armed, someone Cindy knew…Cindy knew a lot of men. She thought of the incident where someone had rifted through her stuff in the car.
"Rich." She said his name softly.
"Yes?" Rich eyed her troubled face. "Why’d you suddenly pale?"
"Someone looked through my car. Screwed around with my things… on Tuesday." Melinda explained.
"And on Friday Cindy was kidnapped." Rich nods. "This has to be connected."
"Were they looking for something of hers?" Melinda was baffled. "Why not search her car, why mine?"
"I have no idea." Rich shakes his head. "But I have a bad feeling."

Rich watched Melinda drift off to sleep. He pondered what she’d told him. Someone riffling through Melinda’s things, and then Cindy’s kidnapping within a week of the incident. It was a strong lead. But where did it lead to? Rich sighed heavily.
He missed the good old days when cops were out on the field, getting their hands dirty. When cops sure, had a donut once in a while, but these ‘officers’ were a disgrace. Filing paperwork seemed to be all they were good at. And though he didn’t like saying this, crime was much more widespread now. He shook his head again, and took Melinda’s pen and paper.

He began a list of what they knew and didn’t know. What they thought was on there too.
Facts: It was a male. No woman could have carried Cindy that far. They had a van, one in need of an oil change. They needed a hospital. Running out of time. Cindy is rich. Blood on dress was both hers and someone else's. Someone broke into Melinda’s car days before.
Thoughts: Plausible that it was someone she knew. Could be kidnapping gone. Blood might be the kidnapper’s. Were inquiring about Cindy’s schedule in Melinda’s car.

Don’t Know: If Cindy’s alive. Motive or suspect. Why the break in?
Rich continued writing until Melinda woke up again. She didn’t notice him hunched over her desk. She grabbed some clothes - black sweats and a sweatshirt before heading to the bathroom. He waited for her, patiently. When she came back, she smiled at him.
"Figured anything out?" She asks.
"I wrote some things down." Rich said.
Melinda scanned the paper. She nodded. "That looks about right."
"I take it Cindy knew a lot of men." Rich added.
Melinda shot him a dirty look. "Maybe she did. But there’s only two people I think could do this.
"Marcus. Her ex-boyfriend. She broke up with him after he crashed her first car. He lost his job. He blamed her, and vowed for revenge. Or," At this point Melinda hesitated. "Or it was Charlie."
"Who’s Charlie?" Rich asked.

Melinda looked off into the distance. Her eyes seemed to be staring at something right before him. "She was our best friend who died in a boating accident. Cindy was driving the boat. We were drunk. And then… well Charlie fell overboard. And she drowned."
"But she’s dead." Rich pointed out.
"So are you." Melinda shot back.
"No, I mean, she’s dead. The police won’t buy it. She’d need an accomplice. You’re mine. When I do human like things I take your energy." Rich explains. "A willing accomplice is hard to find. It’d have to be the both of them."

"So what now?" Melinda asked, lost.
"Did Marcus own any land that was cut off, or seemingly deserted and in the middle of nowhere?" Rich questioned.
"Yes." Melinda replied. "The cabin in Mill Woods."
Rich nodded. "That’s good. Have an address?"
Melinda recited it to him and grabbed her car keys. She immediately thought back to all those nights spent in the woods, by the lake, on the bluff. It’d been a great summer. They’d swam, made s’mores, and told ghost stories. Now her life had become one.

Ticks and Lyme Disease (LD)

The danger of tick bites

While most tick bites are harmless, several species can cause life-threatening diseases. Two of these well-known diseases are Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Lyme disease. Ticks can also transmit tularemia (a plague-like disease in rodents that can be transmitted to man), relapsing fever, and ehrlichiosis (an abrupt illness consisting of fever, rash, nausea, vomiting, and weight loss).

What is Lyme disease?

Lyme disease (LD) is a multistage, multisystem bacterial infection caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi, a spiral shaped bacterium that is most commonly transmitted by a tick bite. The disease takes its name from Lyme, Connecticut, where the illness was first identified in the United States in 1975.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Lyme disease continues to be a rapidly emerging infectious disease, and is the leading cause of all insect-borne illness in the U.S. According to the CDC, LD cases more than doubled during the surveillance period of 1992 to 2006. In 2008, there were nearly 23,000 confirmed cases and nearly 7,000 probable cases of LD. 

What types of ticks transmit LD?

• Ixodes scapularis (northeastern, mid-Atlantic, and north-central U.S., black-legged deer tick)
• Ixodes pacificus (Pacific coastal U.S., Western black-legged tick)

Ticks prefer to live in wooded areas, low-growing grasslands, and yards. Depending on the location, anywhere from less than 1 percent to more than 50 percent of the ticks are infected with spirochetes.

Although Lyme disease is a year-round problem, April through October is considered tick season. Cases of Lyme disease have been reported in nearly all states in the U.S. and in large areas in Europe and Asia.

What are the symptoms of Lyme disease?

The list of possible symptoms is long, and symptoms can affect every part of the body. The following are the most common symptoms of Lyme disease. However, each individual may experience symptoms differently.

The primary symptom is a red rash that:

• Can appear several days after infection, or not at all.
• Can last up to several weeks.
• Can be very small or very large (up to 12 inches across), and may resemble a "bulls-eye."
• Can mimic such skin problems as hives, eczema, sunburn, poison ivy, and flea bites.
• Can itch or feel hot, or may not be felt at all.
• Can disappear and return several weeks later.

Several days or weeks after a bite from an infected tick, a patient usually experiences flu-like symptoms such as the following:

• Headache
• Stiff neck
• Aches and pains in muscles and joints
• Low-grade fever and chills
• Fatigue
• Poor appetite
• Swollen glands

After several months, arthritis-like symptoms may develop, including painful and swollen joints.

Other possible symptoms may include the following:

• Neurological symptoms
• Heart problems
• Skin disorders
• Eye problems
• Hepatitis
• Severe fatigue
• Limb weakness
• Poor motor coordination

Some people may develop post-Lyme disease syndrome (PLDS), a condition also known as chronic Lyme disease, characterized by persistent musculoskeletal and peripheral nerve pain, fatigue, and memory impairment.

How is Lyme disease diagnosed?

Lyme disease is difficult to diagnose because symptoms are not consistent and may imitate other conditions. The primary symptom is a rash, but it may not be present in up to 20 percent of cases.

Diagnosis for Lyme disease is a clinical one and must be made by a doctor experienced in recognizing LD. Diagnosis is usually based on symptoms and a history of a tick bite. Testing is generally done to eliminate other conditions and may be supported through blood and laboratory tests, although these tests are not absolutely reliable for diagnosing LD.

Research is underway to develop and improve methods for diagnosing LD.

The symptoms of Lyme disease may resemble other medical conditions or problems. Always consult your doctor for a diagnosis.

What is the treatment for Lyme disease?

Specific treatment for Lyme disease will be determined by your doctor based on:

• Your age, overall health, and medical history
• Extent of the symptoms
• Your tolerance for specific medications, procedures, or therapies
• Expectations for the course of the condition
• Your opinion or preference

Lyme disease in the earliest stage is usually treated with antibiotics for three weeks.

Treatment will also be considered based on these and other factors:

• If you are bitten by a tick that tests positive for spirochetes.
• If you are bitten by a tick and have any of the symptoms.
• If you are bitten by a tick and are pregnant.
• If you are bitten by a tick and live in an endemic, high-risk area.

Relapse and incomplete treatment responses occur. Complications of untreated early-stage disease include: joint disease, neurologic disease, carditis, and frequent hospitalizations to manage the disease. Some of these complications result in chronic, debilitating conditions.

How can LD be prevented?

Humans do not develop immunity to LD and reinfection is possible. In 1998, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had approved a new vaccine against Lyme disease called LYMErix. The vaccine was not 100 percent effective, however, and the FDA still recommended using other preventive measures. In 2002, the manufacturer of LYMErix announced that the vaccine would no longer be available commercially.

Some general guidelines for preventing LD include the following:

• Dress appropriately by wearing:
  • Light-colored clothing.
  • Long-sleeved shirts.
  • Socks and closed-toe shoes.
  • Long pants with legs tucked into socks.
• Frequently check for ticks on:
  • All parts of the body that bend: behind the knees, between fingers and toes, and underarms.
  • Other areas where ticks are commonly found: belly button, in and behind the ears, neck, hairline, and top of the head.
  • Areas of pressure points, including:
    • Where underwear elastic touches the skin.
    • Where bands from pants or skirts touch the skin.
    • Anywhere else where clothing presses on the skin.
• Visually check all other areas of the body, and run fingers gently over skin.
• Shower after all outdoor activities are over for the day.
• Consider using repellents:
  • Products that contain DEET are tick repellents, but do not kill the tick and are not 100 percent effective in discouraging a tick from feeding on you.
  • Products that contain permethrin are known to kill ticks; however, they should not be sprayed on the skin but on clothing.
• Check pets and children for ticks.

What should you do if you find a tick?

• Do not touch the tick with your bare hand.
• Use a pair of tweezers to remove the tick. Grab the tick firmly by its mouth or head as close to your skin as possible.
• Pull up slowly and steadily without twisting until it lets go. Do not squeeze the tick, and do not use petroleum jelly, solvents, knives, or a lit match to kill the tick.
• Save the tick and place it in a plastic container or bag so it can be tested for disease, if necessary.
• Thoroughly wash the bite area with soap and water and apply an antiseptic lotion or cream.
• Call your doctor to find out about follow-up care and testing of the tick for spirochetes (organisms that may be carried by the tick).
  
  

  

  
  

Food Poisoning

What is food poisoning?

Food-borne illnesses affect millions of Americans each year. Many people who think they have the "stomach flu" or a virus are really victims of a mild case of food poisoning, caused by bacteria and viruses found in food. Particularly vulnerable to these infections are young children, the elderly, pregnant women (because of the risk to the fetus), and people with chronic or serious illnesses, whose immune systems are already weakened.

What causes food poisoning?

Most food-borne illnesses are caused by eating food containing certain types of bacteria or viruses. After a person has eaten these foods, the microorganisms continue to grow in the digestive tract, causing an infection. Foods can also cause illness if they contain a toxin or poison produced by bacteria growing in food.

Several different kinds of bacteria can cause food poisoning. Some of the common bacteria include the following:

• Salmonella and Campylobacter--normally found in warm-blooded animals, such as poultry and reptiles, also may be present in raw meat, poultry, eggs, or unpasteurized dairy products.
• Clostridium perfringens--may be present in raw meat, poultry, eggs, or unpasteurized dairy products, as well as in vegetables and crops that come into contact with soil. Infection may occur when soups, stew, and gravies made with meat, fish, or poultry are stored improperly or left unrefrigerated for several hours.
• Listeria--mainly associated with raw foods of animal origins, including unpasteurized cheese and milk. 
• Staphylococci--occur normally on human skin and in the nose and throat. These bacteria may be transmitted to food when handled by someone with the bacterium.
• Escherichia coli (E. coli)--found in the intestines of healthy cattle. An infection is caused by eating undercooked beef (especially ground beef) or unpasteurized milk.

Hepatitis A and other viral diseases may be passed through the hands of infected people onto the hands of food handlers or into sewage. Shellfish and other foods which may have been exposed to sewage-contaminated water can transmit these viral diseases.

Botulism is a rare but deadly form of food poisoning caused by Clostridium botulinum, which is found almost everywhere, including in soil and water. Low acid foods, such as meat, fish, poultry, or vegetables, that are improperly canned or improperly preserved may be breeding grounds for this bacteria. Raw honey and corn syrup can also cause botulism in infants. Babies under the age of 1 year old should never be given honey or corn syrup for this reason. 

What are the symptoms of food poisoning?

Most cases of food poisoning mimic gastroenteritis, and many people with mild cases of food poisoning think they have the "stomach flu." However, the onset of symptoms is usually very sudden and abrupt, often within hours of eating the contaminated food. The following are the most common symptoms of food poisoning. However, each individual may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include:

• Abdominal cramps
• Watery and/or bloody diarrhea
• Nausea and vomiting
• Headache
• Fever
• Abdominal distention and gas

The symptoms of food poisoning may resemble other medical conditions or problems. Always consult your doctor for a diagnosis.

Treatment for food poisoning

Most mild cases of food poisoning are often treated as gastroenteritis, with fluid replacement and control of nausea and vomiting being the primary focus. Antibiotics may actually make the situation worse. However, in serious cases of food poisoning, hospitalization may be necessary. Be sure to see your doctor if you're unable to keep even fluids down or your symptoms are persistent. 

How can food poisoning be prevented?

• Thoroughly wash hands before handling food.
• Wash hands after using the toilet, changing diapers, smoking, blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
• Wash hands after touching raw meat, seafood, poultry, or eggs and before working with any other foods.
• Do not use wooden cutting boards for cutting raw fish, poultry, or meat. Plastic boards are easier to sanitize.
• Thoroughly clean any surface or utensil after each use.
• Cook poultry, beef, and eggs thoroughly before eating.
• Do not eat or drink foods made from raw or undercooked eggs, poultry, meat, or unpasteurized milk, or other dairy products made from unpasteurized milk.
• Wash all produce thoroughly before eating.
• Avoid cross-contamination of foods by keeping produce, cooked foods, and ready-to-eat foods separate from uncooked meats and raw eggs.
• Do not leave mayonnaise, salad dressings, or foods containing either of these items unrefrigerated for extended periods. 
• If you're unsure about how long a food has been left unrefrigerated or about whether or not it has spoiled, don't take your chances. When in doubt, throw it out.
  
  

  

  
  

Pediatric Appendectomy (Removal of a Child's Appendix)

Procedure overview

A pediatric appendectomy is a surgery that's performed to remove a child's appendix. The appendix is a small pouch that's attached to the large intestine on the lower right side of the abdomen.

The appendectomy may be done as an open surgery, which involves cutting into the abdomen and directly removing the organ. Or it may be done through several smaller incisions (cuts) using a camera and small instruments. This is called a laparoscopic surgery.

Reasons for the procedure

The function of the appendix is still not fully clear to medical experts, but it doesn’t appear to be an essential organ. What is known is that it produces proteins called immunoglobulins, which help fight infection in the body. Sometimes the appendix becomes blocked. Mucus trapped inside can allow bacteria to thrive. The resulting infection and inflammation is called appendicitis. This illness is especially common in children, teens, and young adults. A young person with this problem may need to have an appendectomy.

An appendix that is inflamed can burst if it is not removed. If this occurs, infection can spread throughout the abdomen and cause peritonitis, a potentially dangerous condition.

Risks of the procedure

As with other surgeries, the possible risks of this procedure include:

• Bleeding
• Infection
• Problems from the anesthesia that's used to put your child to sleep. These include breathing problems and reactions to the anesthesia drugs.

In addition, other possible risks include:

• Leakage from the large intestine, where the appendix was removed
• The need for a longer hospital stay and medicines such as antibiotics if the appendix has ruptured before the surgery
• Injuries to nearby organs during the surgery

There may be other risks, depending on your child’s specific medical condition. Be sure to discuss any concerns with your child's doctor before the procedure.

Before the procedure

This is usually an emergency surgery, so your child may not have a lot of time to prepare for it. The health care team will want to know when your child last ate. That's because having food in the stomach can cause problems when your child is under anesthesia. If the surgery is planned ahead of time, ask the doctor when your child should stop eating and drinking beforehand.

Before the procedure begins, the health care team may give your child an injection of medication to relax him or her. They will also put an intravenous (IV) needle into a vein to allow them to later give medicine to put your child to sleep.

During the procedure

During an open procedure, the surgeon will make a cut into the skin and the fat underneath. The cut will be one to two inches in length. Upon reaching the appendix, the surgeon will cut it loose and remove it. The surgeon will then close the opening in the intestine and the incision in the skin.

During a laparoscopic procedure, the surgeon will make several small cuts in the abdomen. A tiny camera will be placed inside through one cut so the surgeon can see the procedure on a video screen. Air will be put into the abdomen through a tube to allow the surgeon to see better. The surgeon will then remove the appendix using instruments placed into the other cuts. When finished, the surgeon will stitch shut the opening in the intestine and the incisions in the skin.

If your child's appendix has burst, a drainage tube may be left in the abdomen to drain away fluid.

On occasion, the surgeon may plan a laparoscopic surgery, but need to switch to an open surgery because it seems like a safer option.

After the procedure

After the surgery, your child will go to a recovery room before being transferred to a regular room. Your child will receive pain medicine through the IV, then later by mouth.

Your child will be encouraged to get up and move around later that day or the next day. After laparoscopic surgery, your child may feel cramps or shoulder pain from the air that was put into the abdomen. Children usually go home a day or two after the surgery. If the appendix ruptured before the surgery, your child may need to stay in the hospital for up to a week. In these cases, your child may need IV antibiotics for a week or more.

Children will usually need to avoid physical activities until the surgeon says they're OK during a follow-up visit. Follow the health care provider’s directions on bathing and taking care of the incision.

Contact your child's doctor if you notice symptoms including:

• A fever higher than 101degrees
• Vomiting
• Redness or swelling around the incision
• Sluggishness
• Green or yellow drainage from the incision
• Pain that increases, rather than decreases, as hours or days pass
• Abdominal swelling
  
  

  

  
  

Colic

What is colic?

Colic is a problem that affects some babies during the first three to four months of life. It is defined by the "rule of three": crying at least three hours per day, more than three days per week, and for three weeks duration or more. It can be very stressful and frustrating to parents. Colic usually begins suddenly, with loud and mostly continuous crying.

What causes colic?

Health care providers are not certain what causes colic. There are several theories about why colic may or may not occur, including the following:

• Adjusting to each other. One theory about colic relates to the adjustments that a new baby and his or her parents have to make to each other. Until babies learn to talk, one way they communicate with adults is by crying. Parents have to learn to interpret the reasons their baby is crying, and then figure out what to do to make the baby happy. Is the baby hungry? Wet? Cold? Hot? Tired? Bored? A baby will cry for these reasons, as well as for other problems, and parents must try to determine what is causing their baby's stress, often by trial and error. New parents, especially, may have trouble reading their baby's cues and responding appropriately. The baby may continue to cry simply because its needs have not yet been met.
• Temperament and adjusting to the world. Newborns must also make adjustments to the world they are living in. Not all babies have the same temperament. Some adjust to lights, loud noises, and all the other stimulation around them with no trouble, while others are not able to adapt as easily. Just like adults, some babies are easy-going, and some are impatient. Crying may be one way for a baby to vent feelings as he or she is getting adjusted to the world.
• Oversensitivity to gas. Another possible reason for excessive crying in babies might be due to an oversensitivity to gas in the intestine. Doctors do not think that babies with colic produce more gas than others, but simply that the normal amount of gas that is produced as food is digested is uncomfortable for some babies. If a baby with colic seems to pass more gas than other babies do, it is probably due to swallowing more air while crying for prolonged periods of time.
• Milk allergy. Milk allergies may cause abdominal pain, but usually also cause diarrhea. A baby who cannot tolerate cow's milk and responds to a change in formula may have a milk allergy.

What are the symptoms of colic?

A child who is otherwise well, who cries or is fussy several hours a day, especially from 6 pm to midnight, with no apparent reason, may have colic. Also, babies with colic may burp frequently or pass a significant amount of gas, but this is thought to be due to swallowing air while crying, and is not a cause of colic. The face may be flushed. The abdomen may be tense with legs drawn toward it. The hands may be clenched and the feet are often cold.

The symptoms of colic may resemble other conditions or medical problems. Always consult your child's health care provider for a diagnosis.

Who is at risk for colic?

Infants who are either under or over fed may be more susceptible to colic. Those who are allergic to formula or are sensitive to something in the mother's diet (if breastfed) are prone to colic symptoms. Infants in the 0 to 3 month age range who are started on cereal or other high carbohydrate food are also likely to develop colic as a result of excessive fermentation resulting in gassiness. Lastly, an emotionally unstable environment may contribute to colic symptoms in an infant.

Why is colic a concern?

Colic may become a concern due to the following reasons:

• Frustrating and stressful to parents
• Parents and infant lose sleep
• Infant may be overfed in an attempt to stop the crying

Babies with colic usually grow and gain weight appropriately, despite being fussy or irritable, being gassy, and losing sleep.

How is colic diagnosed or evaluated?

A health care provider will examine your baby and obtain a medical history. Questions might be asked about how long and how often your child cries, if you have noticed anything that seems to trigger the crying, and what comfort measures are effective, if any. Blood tests and X-rays or other imaging tests may be done to determine if there are other problems present.

When should we contact a doctor?

Before assuming your child has colic, you should look for other signs of illness. These may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Not sucking or drinking a bottle well
• Drinking less milk than usual
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Becoming more irritable when held or touched
• Strange sounding cry
• Change in breathing rate or effort
• Being more sleepy or sluggish than usual

Call your child's health care provider if you note any of these symptoms, or if your baby is crying excessively. Your child's health care provider will examine your child to make sure other problems are not present that might be causing colic-like symptoms.

How can parents deal with colic?

Learning how to interpret your baby's cry can be helpful in dealing with colic. It does take some time for parents and babies to become accustomed to each other. Remember, babies will cry for a certain length of time every day under normal circumstances.

Other suggestions include the following:

• Make sure your baby is not hungry, but do not force feed if he or she is not interested in the bottle or breast.
• Change your baby's position. Sit him or her up if lying down. Let your baby face forward if you are carrying or holding him/her facing your chest. Babies like to see different views of the world.
• Give your baby interesting things to look at: different shapes, colors, textures, and sizes. Talk to your baby. Sing softly to your baby.
• Rock your baby.
• Walk your baby.
• Place your baby in an infant swing on a slow setting.
• Let your baby lay on his or her belly on your lap or on the bed, and rub his or her back. Never leave your baby unattended on a bed, sofa, or other soft surface.
• Go for a ride in the car. The motion of the car often soothes babies.
• Try using something in your child's room that makes a repetitive sound, like a wind-up alarm clock or heartbeat audio tape.
• Hold and cuddle your baby. Babies cannot be spoiled by too much attention. However, they can have problems later in life if they are ignored and their needs are not met as infants.
• Let an adult family member or friend (or a responsible babysitter) care for your baby from time to time so that you can take a break. Taking care of yourself and lowering your stress level may help your baby as well.

What is the long-term outlook for a child with colic?

The symptoms of colic usually resolve by the time a baby is about 4 months of age. Consult your child's health care provider for more information.