“Infantile colic is common, and there is no medical treatment, causing desperate parents to seek complementary medicine like acupuncture,” she said.
Colic is a catch-all term for otherwise healthy babies who cry for more than three hours a day, three or more days a week. The cause of colic is typically unknown. As many as 20 percent of babies may have colic, the researchers said.
No specific treatment or medicine is available. Typical treatment usually consists of comforting the baby by rocking, singing, talking or giving a warm bath.
Acupuncture treatment usually involves the insertion of multiple thin needles at specific points — called acupuncture points — on the body.
Because acupuncture is associated with relieving pain, restoring stomach function and calming, the Swedish researchers wanted to see if it might also relieve crying in colicky babies.
“Normal crying can be overestimated by tired and worried parents,” Landgren said. “If the baby cries more than three hours a day, a cow’s milk-free diet should be tested, as many infants with colic benefit from that.”
“Infantile colic heals spontaneously, but causes suffering in the infant and stress in the family while it lasts,” Landgren said. “Acupuncture shortens this stressful period.”
Acupuncture is not usually offered by pediatricians, according to Dr. Alisa Muniz Crim, a pediatric gastroenterologist at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Miami.
“There is good evidence, however, that acupuncture is safe for infants, and it’s something that families can consider,” she said.