Background
Infantile colic is a common disorder in the first months of life, affecting somewhere between 4% and 28% of infants worldwide, depending on geography and definitions used. Although it is self-limiting and resolves by four months of age, colic is perceived by parents as a problem that requires action. Pain-relieving agents, such as drugs, sugars and herbal remedies, have been suggested as interventions to reduce crying episodes and severity of symptoms.
Key findings
- No robust conclusions can be drawn on the effectiveness of pain-relieving agents for the treatment of infant colic because evidence is sparse and is prone to bias.
- Simethicone is not effective in reducing crying time or improving symptoms when compared with placebo.
- Compared with placebo, herbal agents, sugar, dicyclomine and cimetropium bromide may be beneficial in reducing crying time or relieving other symptoms of colic, but the quality of evidence is low or very low. Dicyclomine has been banned from the market due to side-effects.
 Evidence Assessment: Pain-relieving agents for infantile colic | [ ] | 620 kB |
