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Assessment of the Efficacy of An Osteopathic Treatment in Infants with Biomechanical Impairments to Suckling
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[Which treatments for infantile colics?]

Virginie Bruyas-Bertholon1, Alain Lachaux, Jean-Pierre Dubois

  • 1Université de Lyon 1, département de médecine générale, 69373 Lyon cedex 08, France.

Presse Medicale (Paris, France : 1983)
|February 28, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Hydrolyzed formulas, Lactobacillus reuteri probiotics, and fennel extracts are the most effective treatments for infant colic. Other treatments like simethicone and dicyclomine have shown no effectiveness or potential risks.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Gastroenterology
  • Evidence-based Medicine

Background:

  • Infantile colic, characterized by excessive crying, is a common parental stressor and a frequent primary care concern.
  • The syndrome lacks a universally agreed-upon definition and consistent measurement methods in research.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To systematically review and assess the effectiveness of various treatments for infantile colic.
  • To identify evidence-based therapeutic options for managing excessive crying in infants.

Main Methods:

  • A systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and meta-analyses was conducted.
  • Searches were performed in Medline, Cochrane, and Embase databases, including studies published in English or French.
  • Thirty-one RCTs and one meta-analysis met the inclusion criteria for therapeutic assessment.

Main Results:

  • Allopathic medications like simethicone and lactase demonstrated no effectiveness, while dicyclomine posed risks of adverse reactions.
  • Partially hydrolyzed or soy-based formulas showed efficacy, though soy carries an allergy risk.
  • Probiotics (Lactobacillus reuteri) and herbal mixtures with fennel extracts showed likely effectiveness.
  • Sucrose solutions offered some benefit with low-level evidence.
  • Manual therapies (osteopathy, acupuncture) and behavioral interventions lacked sufficient evidence.

Conclusions:

  • The most validated treatments for infantile colic include substituting cow's milk with hydrolyzed formula, and utilizing Lactobacillus reuteri and fennel extracts.
  • Variable trial quality and inconsistent methodologies, including a lack of double-blind procedures in several studies, limit definitive conclusions.
  • Further high-quality research is needed to establish definitive treatment guidelines for infantile colic.
Abstract

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