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

This book is great. Every parent should get it. Even if your baby is not 'colicky'. I used to find it very irritating when medical professionals and health visitors would say children 'have' colic as if the term colic referred to a bona fide illness. There is no such thing as a disease or illness called colic and this book explains that beautifully. Colic is just a lable to say 'your baby cries a lot and we don't know why' and, unfortunately, it's a very useful lable to shut parents up. At the time of me buying this book, many websites (and I'm pretty sure the nhs was one of them) would define colic as: babies crying for at least 3hrs a day, for at least 3days a week, for at least 3 weeks. That is not the definition of a disease but a bunch of random parameters someone's put together to say the baby is crying a bit too much. This book finally spells out that colic means nothing, that babies cry for a reason and that more often than not what's behind what we call 'colic' is silent reflux. We had a very 'colicky' baby and spend many months with our child being unable to sleep on his cot and would only sleep in our arms. Needless to say we were exhausted. Then we noticed other symptoms of silent (non-regurgitant) reflux (arching backwards, wanting to drink milk constantly whenever he was more 'colicky', not being able to sleep when flat on cot) and he was eventually prescribed ranitidine for it. Within a short space of time of starting the treatment he was sleeping through the night and was a very happy baby. Worth being well informed on this matter as many gps are still way behind on the colic situation. Happy to see d nhs website doesn't have that stupid definition for colic on its website anymore but still misses the most likely culprit: reflux.

This book makes it clear from the outset that the author does not believe colic exists, and that colicky symptoms are, in his opinion, actually symptoms of reflux, which requires treatment. So the title would be confusing to those whose babies exhibit colicky symptoms due to eg trapped wind or cows milk protein allergy or an upset to their intestinal flora and fauna.Much of this book is medically evidenced, research based and of a good standard, for example 'stir, don't shake' for those mixing powdered formula with water, the advice not to move breastfeeding babies onto formula milk if they exhibit colicky symptoms, and information about the lower oesophageal sphincter's role in burping and acid reflux splash-back. However, there is much which is opinion and not medically or evidence-based, for example the idea of thickening milks with cereal to aid retention in the stomach (not appropriate for milk-fed babies as their digestive systems are too immature for cereals), or introduction of solid foods well before the six-month mark advocated by WHO and UK Dept Health, which makes the whole book seem both plausible and untrustworthy - most confusing!As someone who works in this field and knows a thing of two, I sort of want to take the good bits and ignore the dodgier bits - and I now have a whole load of bits I still need to look up to see what is the truth! - but it concerns me that struggling families might take the whole book lock,stock and barrel without being able to discern the useful truth from the potentially dangerous opinion.Interesting read for me to see how paediatricians might think - not recommended for others who are looking for answers!

I really wish I had bought this book sooner. I have two sons with reflux, one of whom has been quite poorly with it. Over the last few months I had searched for a book about infant reflux but ended up getting all the information I could off the internet. Whilst this has helped, alot of it is off reflux forums not from experts in the field. I had actually looked at this book and dismissed it because I thought it was mainly about 'colic' not specifically reflux. In actual fact the author raises doubt about the very existence of colic, suspecting that babies are labelled with this when it is other conditions such as reflux. The book covers most aspects of reflux from what causes it to how to wean a reflux baby. If you have a child who is suffering, this book will answer most of your queries and spur you to push for a proper medical diagnosis and treatment plan. I would highly recommend it!

I bought this book when my refluxy baby was 4 months old and I couldn't put it down until I was finished. It made everything that had happened since my baby was born much clearer and easier to understand what we (and him) were all going through. Just so wished that I had found it from the start. The author is clearly very knowledgeable and writes it in a very amusing and easy to read way. Would totally recommend to any parent with a crying baby. The only down side is that the author refers to drugs and medicines available in the US which isn't the same as UK doctors recommend for whatever reason. It would also be great to have more detail (or possibly another book) as to how to introduce solids into a sensitive tummy..... Please write another book Bryan!

Great book that describes all the issues connected with a baby's reflux. It supports parents in a diagnose of the problem and also, which is more difficult, supports in everyday life and raising the reflux baby. As mentioned in the book the doctor sees a baby for 7 minutes while the rest of 23 hours and 53 minutes it spends with its parents. So be patient and convince them there is something wrong going on.

The title to my review says it all - my baby boy has reflux and I was so tired of getting no information from the doctors or health visitors who seem to think refus is only a baby being a tiny bit sick at the end of each feed. If you have a baby with refulx, buy this book as if nothiing else it is very reassuring to read something where the symptoms and problems are acknowledged and discussed.

so far so good.

Helped me so much with our reflux baby. Explains everything in a very straightforward manner and when you're well informed you are better equipped to make good decisions on how best to help your child. I strongly recommend it to anyone with a reflux baby.