Probiotics , fennel extract  and  spinal manipulation  show promise to alleviate symptoms of colic , although some concerns remain .
Background Infantile colic is a distressing condition characterised by excessive crying in the first few months of life .
The aim of this research was to up date the synthesis of evidence of complementary and alternative medicine ( CAM ) research literature on infantile colic and establish what evidence is currently available .
Effectiveness of Lactobacillus reuteri in infantile colic and colicky induced maternal depression: a prospective single blind randomized trial
Infant colic , excessive crying of unknown cause , is a major burden to families and effects about 10–30 % of infants . Despite decades of research , the exact cause and treatment of infant colic has remained elusive . The use of Lactobacillus reuteri ( DSM 17938 ) in infant colic is somewhat controversial and hence , we design ed this study to evaluate its efficacy in infantile colic . We recruited predominantly or exclusively breastfed infants , aged less than 4 months in a placebo controlled observational r and omized study . Participants ’ were assigned to receive L. reuteri at a dose 108 colony forming units ( n = 21 ) and placebo ( n = 21 ) . Placebo was an identical formulation without live micro-organisms . Treatment was given to subjects for 21 days and they were followed for 4 weeks . Treatment success ( primary outcome ) , daily reduction in crying time , parent satisfaction and reduction in maternal depression ( secondary outcomes ) were assessed at the end of study period . Treatment success was observed in all infants ( 100 % ) of the probiotic group while it was seen in 15.7 % of the placebo group . Mean daily crying time was more significantly reduced to 32.1 ± 8.3 min/day ( P < 0.01 ) from 200.9 ± 6.3 min/day in the probiotic group as compared to the placebo group ( 120.6 ± 20.0 min/day ) . Moreover , throughout the study period , parent ’s satisfaction and improvement in maternal depression ( Edinburgh postnatal depression scale ) was also significantly higher in the probiotic group . In our study population , reduction in crying time was significant ( P < 0.01 ) even during first week of initiation of therapy . We conclude that L. reuteri ( DSM 17938 ) reduces daily crying time and maternal depression during infantile colic . We suggest L. reuteri may be a safe and efficacious option for reducing infant colic
Probiotics , fennel extract  and  spinal manipulation  show promise to alleviate symptoms of colic , although some concerns remain .
Background Infantile colic is a distressing condition characterised by excessive crying in the first few months of life .
The aim of this research was to up date the synthesis of evidence of complementary and alternative medicine ( CAM ) research literature on infantile colic and establish what evidence is currently available .