Natural treatments for colic

• DEFINITION: Treatment of excessive and frequently inconsolable crying by an infant.
• PRINCIPAL PROPOSED NATURAL TREATMENTS: Behavioral methods, dietary changes, fennel seed oil
• OTHER PROPOSED NATURAL TREATMENTS: Acupuncture, chiropractic spinal manipulation, herbal combinations, prebiotics, rooibos (red tea)

Introduction

The mere thought of a colicky baby is often enough to strike fear in the heart of the parents of a newborn child. A baby with colic may cry for hours despite the parents’ attempts at consolation; although the colicky phase will eventually end, it may seem like an eternity while it continues.

Colic is generally defined as excessive (frequently inconsolable) crying that lasts for more than three hours at least three days per week, continuing for at least three weeks; additionally, there must be no medical problem causing the crying. Other symptoms frequently associated with colic include pulling the knees up toward the stomach, a hard or swollen stomach (or both), and excessive gas. Crying occurs most often in the evening. Colic typically ends by the age of four to five months.

Colicky babies may be at an increased risk of abuse at the hands of exhausted and frustrated parents. Additionally, the parent may not properly bond with the child because of feelings of inadequacy and anger, leading to developing behavioral problems as the child grows.

No one knows for sure what causes colic, although there are many theories. One view attributes it to painful digestive cramps or excessive gas (or both) caused by an allergic reaction to foods (such as milk). Another theory suggests that some babies may simply have a sensitive temperament, possibly compounded by a parental inability to respond to the infant’s needs. Finally, colic may simply be an extreme version of normal infant crying or an increased perception of normal crying by parents with less tolerance for it.

The antispasmodic and sedating drugs dicyclomine and dicycloverine appear to be effective for colic, but they can have dangerous side effects in infants and are not recommended. The gas-relieving drug dimethicone is also sometimes recommended, but evidence suggests that it does not work.

Principal Proposed Natural Treatments

A number of natural approaches to colic have preliminary supporting evidence.

Fennel seed oil. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 125 infants with colic were given either placebo or fennel seed oil at a dose of twelve milligrams (mg) daily per kilogram of body weight. The results were promising. About 40 percent of the infants receiving fennel showed relief of colic symptoms, compared to only 14 percent in the placebo group, a significant difference. Another way to look at the results involves hours of inconsolable crying. In the treated group, infants cried about nine hours per week, compared to twelve hours in the placebo group.

While these are encouraging results, confirmation by an independent research group is necessary before the treatment can be accepted as effective. Furthermore, the safety of fennel seed oil for infants has not been conclusively established.

Dietary changes. Cow’s milk can cause allergic reactions. Most infant formula contains cow’s milk and can cause reactions in allergic babies. There is also some evidence that breastfed infants may have allergic responses to cow’s milk proteins in the mother’s diet.

Numerous small, open, and double-blind studies have evaluated the effects of cow’s milk or cow’s milk protein in the diet of infants with colic. Most of these studies found an improvement in crying when cow’s milk protein was removed from the diet of formula-fed infants or from the diet of the mothers of breastfed infants.

As an alternative to standard cow’s-milk-based formula, researchers primarily used hypoallergenic formula made from hydrolyzed (processed) whey or casein. Formula based on these sources of protein may be superior to those based on soy because soy itself can cause allergic reactions in sensitive children.

If no improvement is seen through eliminating cow’s milk, some experts recommend searching in the breastfeeding mother’s diet for other potential food allergens, such as wheat, soy, or eggs. However, it is important to keep nutritional needs in mind: the nursing mother who eliminates certain foods also needs to maintain an adequate intake of calcium, protein, and other nutrients.

It should be noted that most infants with colic are able to tolerate cow’s milk protein as they get older. Researchers propose that this early intolerance might be the result of an immature digestive system; according to this theory, the maturation of the digestive tract is the reason that colic usually disappears on its own in time.

Milk also contains lactose, a form of sugar that many adults cannot digest. However, reducing the lactose content of infant formula has not been found helpful in treating colic.

Behavioral methods. Many doctors believe that the cause of colic is not physical but rather results from an infant’s oversensitivity to stimuli in the environment. Overanxious parents might contribute to the problem by adding more stimulation in an attempt to calm their child. Other parents might under-react in the belief that paying too much attention to the infant’s cries will “spoil” them. Either response could set up a cycle leading to long periods of inconsolable crying.

Based on these theories, some authorities recommend counseling the parents of a colicky infant on appropriate coping strategies, including building a personal support system and occasionally leaving the child with a different caregiver to provide a respite. Also, studies evaluating the effects of increased carrying of a colicky child or using a motion-simulation device have not found benefit.

Other Proposed Natural Treatments

A one-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of ninety-three breastfed colicky infants found benefits with a standardized extract of fennel, lemon balm, and chamomile. Another double-blind, placebo-controlled study found benefits with a combination of chamomile, vervain, licorice, fennel, and lemon balm. However, the safety of these herbal combinations in infants has not been established.

A mixture of hydrolyzed whey protein and prebiotics has shown some promise for reducing colic symptoms. Also, a controlled study found that the use of a special type of bottle for bottle feeding reduced colic symptoms.

Chiropractic spinal manipulation has also been tried for colic. One controlled study compared chiropractic treatments with the drug dimethicone. Fifty infants were randomly assigned one of the treatments for two weeks. By the sixth day of treatment, the spinal manipulation group cried significantly less than those on dimethicone. Whether this was a specific effect of the manipulation or a general response to attention and touch is difficult to determine. The consensus in the traditional healthcare community is that chiropractic is not safe for infants. In one small study, light needling at one acupuncture point on both hands was more effective than no needling among forty infants with colic.

A preparation called gripe water is widely sold for the treatment of colic. Varying formulations exist, but all include aromatic oils such as dill, spearmint, or caraway combined with alcohol, sucrose (sugar), and sodium bicarbonate. There is no scientific evidence to show whether gripe water works. It should be noted that at the recommended dosage, the infant would receive the equivalent of five shots of whiskey.

Other herbs sometimes recommended for colic include cardamom, angelica, peppermint, lemon balm, rooibos (red tea), and yarrow. However, no scientific evidence supports their use. The use of salt substitutes containing potassium has also been recommended, but they can be dangerous.

Some parents and caregivers are reluctant to give their young children any sort of supplement, and for these parents, changes in a baby’s routine may be effective. Doctors recommend letting a baby lay on their stomach or holding them upright after feeding. These techniques are meant to reduce colic related to possible acid reflux. Warm baths, swaddles, and white noise machines are also recommended. Most importantly, caregivers are urged to practice self-care because one cannot have a clear head and compassion when they are not their best self.

Bibliography

Alexandrovich, I., et al. "The Effect of Fennel (Foeniculum Vulgare) Seed Oil Emulsion in Infantile Colic." Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, vol. 9, no. 4, 2003, pp. 58-61.

Cirgin Ellett, M. L., and S. M. Perkins. "Examination of the Effect of Dr. Brown's Natural Flow Baby Bottles on Infant Colic." Gastroenterology Nursing, vol. 29, no. 3, 2006, pp. 226-231.

“Colic - Diagnosis & Treatment.” Mayo Clinic, 5 Apr. 2022, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/colic/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20371081. Accessed 20 Nov. 2024.

“Colic (Holistic) – Health Information Library.” PeaceHealth, 28 May 2015, www.peacehealth.org/medical-topics/id/hn-1191006. Accessed 20 Nov. 2024.

Goldman, Rena. “14 Remedies to Try for Colic.” Healthline, 20 July 2023, www.healthline.com/health/childrens-health/best-colic-remedies. Accessed 20 Nov. 2024.

“Natural Remedies for Colic.” Institute for Natural Medicine, 21 Mar. 2024, naturemed.org/natural-remedies-for-colic. Accessed 20 Nov. 2024.

Reinthal, M., et al. "Effects of Minimal Acupuncture in Children with Infantile Colic." Acupuncture in Medicine, vol. 26, no. 3, 2008, pp. 171-182.

Savino, F., F. Cresi, et al. "A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial of a Standardized Extract of Matricariae Recutita, Foeniculum Vulgare, and Melissa Officinalis (Colimil) in the Treatment of Breast-Fed Colicky Infants." Phytotherapy Research, vol. 19, no. 4, 2005, pp. 335-340.

Savino, F., E. Palumeri, et al. "Reduction of Crying Episodes Owing to Infantile Colic: A Randomized Controlled Study on the Efficacy of a New Infant Formula." European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, vol. 60, no. 11, 2006, pp. 1304-1310.

Swadling, C., and P. Griffiths. "Is Modified Cow's Milk Formula Effective in Reducing Symptoms of Infant Colic?" British Journal of Community Nursing, vol. 8, no. 1, 2003, pp. 24-27.