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Babies are mysterious creatures. New parents can spend hours trying to determine what their new arrival wants, needs and enjoys. What at first can seem alarming in your infant’s behaviour or appearance is often perfectly normal and manageable.

For help understanding more about common baby ailments, we turned to Dr. Natasha Collia, an emergency physician at The Hospital for Sick Children.

What it is Colic is episodic periods of inconsolable crying, most often in the late afternoon and evening. It can start as early as the second week of life, typically peaks at six weeks and resolves at about 12 to 16 weeks. Parents will say the colic cry sounds different — more in distress than a regular cry.

According to the Canadian Pediatric Society, about 10 to 25 per cent of babies will experience colic. There is no strong evidence to suggest it is caused by gas or due to allergies. The truth is, we don’t know what causes colic. But parents should know that colicky babies are typically healthy, and colic doesn’t have any lasting impact.

What it looks like We call it the rule of threes: The baby will usually cry for greater than three hours per day for greater than three days per week for greater than three weeks in duration.

What you can do Start by checking all the things that soothe your baby: Do they need changing? Are they hungry? Are they too hot, too cold?

Hold your baby. Some families believe they shouldn’t coddle their baby and suggest the baby should learn to self-soothe. Colic is different. We don’t know why, but we know the baby is telling us they’re distressed, and wrapping and swaddling sometimes helps. Try putting them in the stroller for a walk, or the car seat for a drive. Sometimes moving them around, rocking or gently swaying motion, helps.

When it’s serious If your baby is having colic-type episodes for more than three months, that should signal a trip to your health-care provider. Also, colic does not cause fever, so if your baby has a fever, that’s cause for concern. If the episodes of crying are associated with difficulty breathing, turning blue or becoming rigid, you should seek immediate medical attention.

What it is One of the most common causes of discharge from the eye is a blocked tear duct. Typically, babies with a blocked duct will show symptoms within the first few weeks of life.

What it looks like You’ll notice one or both eyes are sticky when they wake up. The eyes get gooey with mucus, mainly on the inside corner of the eye (closest to the nose).

What you can do Usually, all you need to do is take a warm clean cloth and wipe your child’s eye from the outside to the inside.

When it’s serious If after using a warm compress, your baby’s eye doesn’t clear up, it might be an infected tear duct. If so, the duct will become red and swollen, and the white of the eye can look irritated. If this happens, you need to see a health-care professional, because now there’s an infection that needs to be treated. Any time you see redness in the whites of the eyes, it needs to be assessed by a physician.

What it is Reflux is often used interchangeably with spit-up. It is a passive process, but worsening reflux, or reflux that causes distress, can appear like vomiting. Gastroesophageal reflux on its own is very common; babies spit up, and it’s part of the growing process.

What it looks like It’s effortless. Babies will be eating and then afterward (sometimes during), they spit up. And it can be a lot, but volume on its own is not concerning. As parents learn more about their baby’s cues for feeling full, that can help mitigate volume.

What you can do Burp your baby several times per feed. Try not to leave burping to the end, because you want to give your baby’s stomach and esophagus a chance to process. Also, if you can, keep your baby upright for up to 30 to 45 minutes afterwards.

When it’s serious If you notice your baby is excessively uncomfortable during and after feeds, that might be a sign something is not right. If they’re uncomfortable during feeding, they might avoid it. So, if you notice your baby is losing weight, you want to get that addressed.

Another sign of something more serious is if you see aggressive back-arching, as though your baby is in pain. Also, vomiting is not normal. You don’t want to see your baby’s abdominal muscles involved — in other words, the spit-up is no longer passive, but aggressive.

Finally, if the spit-up is discoloured — green or dark in colour — that warrants a trip to the ER.

What it is Typically, the first teeth to emerge are the lower ones, usually at around six months. But teeth can appear as early as three months and as late as 12 months.

What it looks like By the time you see the tooth, your child has likely already experienced the feeling of that tooth coming in. Before that happens, your baby might have swollen or red gums, and lots of drooling. Your baby may start grabbing things to chew on. They may become cranky, and their sleep may be disrupted.

What you can do Rub your baby’s gums with a clean, cool cloth. You can offer them teething toys, but make sure they’re firm. We don’t recommend liquid-filled toys, because of the risk of them bursting. Also, wipe the drool, because if you don’t, it can cause skin irritations.

When it’s serious Parents often attribute a lot of things to teething. A common misconception is that teething can cause fever or diarrhea. It does not. So, if your child is experiencing either of these symptoms, you’ll likely want to refer to your health-care professional.

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