by: Dr. Randall Neustaedter, OMD
(NaturalNews) Infant colic causes tremendous distress for parents who have to cope with a suffering baby in obvious pain and hours of daily screaming. A study in the September 2010 issue of Pediatrics, the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, provides a simple remedy for these symptoms. A probiotic, Lactobacillus reuteri (pronounced roy-ter-eye) was shown to significantly relieve these symptoms when compared to placebo in a double-blind study (Savino, 2010). This confirms the findings of a previous study that compared the effect of L reuteri to a medication, simethicone (Savino, 2007).
Other effective treatments for colic
Probiotics represent a simple solution to treat colic in babies. This supplement combined with other interventions provides help for parents looking for solutions. For example, swaddling babies (wrapping them snugly in a blanket) has been shown to reduce crying times (Van Sleuwan, 2006). Eliminating certain foods from the diet of breastfeeding mothers has also proven to reduce crying. In one study eliminating common allergenic foods (cow's milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soy, and fish) reduced crying in infants (Hill, 2005). Several herbs have proven effective as well. One study evaluated the effect of a popular tea containing chamomile, fennel, vervain, licorice, and balm mint in a double-blind clinical trial. The group that received the tea showed significant improvement in symptoms compared to placebo (Weizman, 1993).
Other treatments commonly used for colic in holistic pediatrics include chiropractic, homeopathic medicines, acupuncture, and Chinese pediatric herbal formulas (Neustaedter, 2010). Relief of neck tension through chiropractic adjustment is thought to reduce the nerve irritation that triggers digestive symptoms and crying, and one study showed a significant improvement from adjusting the spine (Olafsdottir, 2001). Chinese herbal formulas such as Kang Ning Wan (Curing Pill), or its modern counterpart Grow and Thrive, that contain hyancinth bean, Chinese yam, lyceum, poria, and other herbs have been used successfully and safely for hundreds of years to treat infantile colic.