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[Infantile colic--what will help?]
1Institutt for farmakoterapi, Universitetet i Oslo.
Insights
Infantile colic affects one-third of infants, with unknown causes. Maternal smoking while breastfeeding may increase colic risk, but effective treatments remain limited.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Neonatology
- Gastroenterology
Context:
- Infantile colic is a common condition affecting approximately one-third of infants.
- The exact etiology of infantile colic remains largely unknown, presenting a diagnostic challenge.
- Current therapeutic interventions for infantile colic often lack proven efficacy.
Purpose:
- To review the known causes and documented therapies for infantile colic.
- To guide healthcare professionals in avoiding inefficient treatments for infantile colic.
- To explore potential risk factors and management strategies for infantile colic.
Summary:
- Infantile colic is a prevalent infant condition with unclear origins, possibly linked to maternal smoking during breastfeeding.
- No significant increase in colic risk was associated with other maternal or demographic factors.
- Recommended strategies include parental support and specific interventions like dietary changes, sucrose infusion, or behavioral therapy, while avoiding hyperstimulation.
Impact:
- Provides a comprehensive overview of infantile colic, aiding clinical decision-making.
- Highlights the limitations of current pharmacotherapy and alternative medicine for infantile colic.
- Offers evidence-based guidance for managing infantile colic, emphasizing supportive care and targeted interventions.
Abstract:
Infantile colic occurs in 1/3 of all infants and is still a medical mystery. This paper reviews the etiology and the documented therapies. The overall aim is to avoid that inefficient forms of medication are used for this indication. It is not yet known whether colic is a dysfunction related to physical pain or behaviour. The results from 885 infants born in Oslo suggested that colic was frequent among those whose mothers both breastfed them and smoked more than five cigarettes daily. No increase in relative risk was found for other maternal or demographic factors. Since it is impossible to treat the causes parents should be advised to try general and specific strategies. General advice includes support, interest and care from health personnel and assistance from relatives. Specifically, some infants respond to either dietary changes (no cow's milk), oral sucrose infusion, vibro-accustic treatment, behavioural therapy or carrying, but avoiding hyperstimulation. Nicotine-free breast milk has not been evaluated. The available pharmacotherapy is not efficacious. Alternative medicine (herbal teas, chiropractic, acupuncture), has not yet been proven to be efficacious.