Often it is seen that a child remains calm most of the day, but starts crying a great deal in the evening. This is termed as 3-month evening colic. The child cries only in the evening. It starts when the baby is 6 weeks old and ceases after 3 months. One possible cause is painful spasms of the intestines. The other reason could be a reduction in the milk supply of the mother in the evening. Two forms of treatment are suggested:

• Give the baby more and smaller feeds. Some babies cannot digest big feeds. The mother should minimize strain and take a nap in the afternoon for 1-2 hours.

• Dicyclomine hydrochloride drops - these are antispasmodic drops available as Piptal, Cyclopam, Colimax drops etc. The dose should be 6-10 drops or as recommended by a doctor. Do not give antispasmodic drops, too frequently. Once given, wait for sometime before you repeat the dose.  Gripe water of various brands may be used as antispasmodics.