January 25, 2007 – So many tears and sleepless nights associated with the famous colic! However, a recent study from the University of Turin could put smiles back on babies … and their parents.
A team of Italian researchers found that by giving children a daily dose of Lactobacillus reuteri, a probiotic, could reduce the number of minutes infants cry by 75%.
The study compared two groups of around 40 breastfed babies who suffered from colic. One group received a daily dose of L. reuteri 30 minutes after eating. A dose of simethicone, a drug often prescribed for childhood colic, was given to other babies. During the study period, mothers also had to exclude from their diet all products containing cow’s milk.
After one week, the crying of the infants who received the probiotic had decreased by 21% (from 197 minutes to 159 minutes per day). In babies treated with simethicone, there was a 10% decrease in crying (from 197 minutes to 177 minutes per day).
At the end of the 28-day study, babies in the first group were crying 51 minutes per day (a 74% decrease) compared to 145 minutes per day (a 26% decrease) for babies in the other group. The mothers did not notice any side effects.
Ninety-five percent of babies who received the probiotic responded to treatment: the average daily duration of crying was reduced by 50%. This proportion is only 7% in infants who have taken simethicone.
According to the researchers, these results indicate that the L. reuteri may decrease the symptoms of colic, presumably by helping to strengthen the intestinal flora of infants.
Colic is one of the most common problems in newborns. It affects 3% to 28% of babies.
Claudia Morissette – HealthPassport.net
1. Savino F, Pelle E, et al.Lactobacillus reuteri (American Type Culture Collection Strain 55730) versus simethicone in the treatment of infantile colic: a prospective randomized study, Pediatrics, 2007 Jan; 119 (1): e124-30.
