AUTHORS ' CONCLUSIONS There is no clear evidence that probiotics are more effective than placebo at preventing infantile colic ; however , daily crying time appeared to reduce with probiotic use compared to placebo .
There were no clear differences in adverse effects .
BACKGROUND Infantile colic is typically defined as full-force crying for at least three hours per day , on at least three days per week , for at least three weeks .
Infantile colic affects a large number of infants and their families worldwide .
Its symptoms are broad and general , and while not indicative of disease , may represent a serious underlying condition in a small percentage of infants who may need a medical assessment .
Probiotics are live microorganisms that alter the microflora of the host and provide beneficial health effects .
The most common probiotics used are of Lactobacillus , Bifidobacterium and Streptococcus .
There is growing evidence to suggest that intestinal flora in colicky infants differ from those in healthy infants , and it is suggested that probiotics can redress this balance and provide a healthier intestinal microbiota l and scape .
The low cost and easy availability of probiotics makes them a potential prophylactic solution to reduce the incidence and prevalence of infantile colic .
OBJECTIVES To evaluate the efficacy and safety of prophylactic probiotics in preventing or reducing severity of infantile colic .
A low allergen diet is a significant intervention in infantile colic: results of a community-based study.
BACKGROUND The effect of diet change in 38 bottle-fed and 77 breast-fed " colicky " infants , referred from community-based pediatric facilities was studied over a 1-week period in a double-blind ( within each feeding mode ) , r and omized , placebo-controlled trial . METHODS Bottle-fed infants were assigned to either casein hydrolysate or cow 's milk formula .  All mothers of breast-fed infants were started on an artificial color-free , preservative-free , additive-free diet and also r and omized to an active low allergen diet ( milk- , egg- , wheat- , nut-free ) or a control diet . RESULTS The response to diet was assessed on day 1 and day 8 with the use of a previously vali date d infant distress chart on which parents recorded distress levels . If successful outcome was defined as a reduction in distress of 25 % or more , after adjusting for age and feeding mode , infants on active diet had a significantly higher rate of improvement than those on the control diet ( odds ratio , 2.32 ; 95 % confidence interval , 1.07 - 5.0 ; p = 0.03 ) . Analysis of the day 8 to day 1 distress ratio , again adjusted for age and feeding mode , showed that infants on the active diet had distress reduced by 39 % ( 95 % confidence interval , 26 - 50 ) compared with 16 % ( 95 % confidence interval , 0 - 30 ) for those on the control diet ( p = 0.012 ) . CONCLUSION The results suggest a period of dietary modification with a low allergen diet and appropriate nutritional support should be considered in healthy infants with colic
AUTHORS ' CONCLUSIONS There is no clear evidence that probiotics are more effective than placebo at preventing infantile colic ; however , daily crying time appeared to reduce with probiotic use compared to placebo .
There were no clear differences in adverse effects .
BACKGROUND Infantile colic is typically defined as full-force crying for at least three hours per day , on at least three days per week , for at least three weeks .
Infantile colic affects a large number of infants and their families worldwide .
Its symptoms are broad and general , and while not indicative of disease , may represent a serious underlying condition in a small percentage of infants who may need a medical assessment .
Probiotics are live microorganisms that alter the microflora of the host and provide beneficial health effects .
The most common probiotics used are of Lactobacillus , Bifidobacterium and Streptococcus .
There is growing evidence to suggest that intestinal flora in colicky infants differ from those in healthy infants , and it is suggested that probiotics can redress this balance and provide a healthier intestinal microbiota l and scape .
The low cost and easy availability of probiotics makes them a potential prophylactic solution to reduce the incidence and prevalence of infantile colic .
OBJECTIVES To evaluate the efficacy and safety of prophylactic probiotics in preventing or reducing severity of infantile colic .