Infantile colic: a review

Infantile colic is characterised by episodes of uncontrollable crying or fussing in an otherwise healthy and well-fed infant less than three months of age. The episodes of crying in an infant with colic last more than three hours per day and more than three days per week for at least three weeks. The condition can be very stressful for the family. Cows' milk proteins appear to be associated with the prevalence of infantile colic in a significant number of cases. Supportive counselling, reassurance, and dietary modifications if necessary, are the core measures used for the treatment of this condition. In most infants, infantile colic resolves by three to four months of age.