Acupuncture for Infantile Colic?

Compared with standard care alone, the addition of acupuncture was superior in reducing crying without serious adverse events in colicky infants.

Infantile colic (crying for >3 hours daily for >3 days weekly) causes significant stress both for babies and their parents. In a multicenter, blinded trial, 147 Swedish infants with colic (age range, 2–8 weeks; dietary cow's milk eliminated for at least 5 days) were randomized to one of three groups in addition to standard care: minimal acupuncture at LI4 (the acupuncture point for the large intestine), traditional Chinese acupuncture with multiple needles, and no acupuncture (5 minutes in the room with the acupuncturist), twice weekly for 2 weeks.

In the pooled acupuncture groups compared with standard care, parents reported greater reduction in time crying at two weeks (P<0.021) and in colicky crying at 6 days (P<0.031); in addition, fewer…

Reviewing Author

F. Bruder Stapleton, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardCareer Physician

Editorial BoardsUpToDate

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesAmerican Society of Pediatric Nephrology Foundation (Chair)

F. Bruder Stapleton, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardCareer Physician

Editorial BoardsUpToDate

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesAmerican Society of Pediatric Nephrology Foundation (Chair)

Acupuncture for Infantile Colic?

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Reviewing Author