A low allergen diet is a significant intervention in infantile colic: Results of a community-based study☆,☆☆,★,★★
Section snippets
Patients
Information regarding the study was distributed to pediatricians and community-based Maternal and Child Health nurses in the Melbourne metropolitan area. Infants with colic, who were otherwise healthy, were included if they were between the ages of 4 and 16 weeks, were the result of an uncomplicated pregnancy of more than 37 weeks' duration, and had an uneventful perinatal period.
Colic was defined as unexplained bouts of irritable and distressed behavior present for more than 3 hours per day,
RESULTS
At the outset, the study was expected to be completed within 12 months, but as it progressed, many sources of referral commenced implementation of the diet modification being tested by this research study, and patient referral ceased. Therefore after 3 years, the study was terminated, although the proposed number of bottle-fed infants had not reached the sample size sought. Thirty-six infants did not complete the second assessment, and after exclusion of this group, 122 infants remained.
DISCUSSION
According to the results of this study, diet is one factor that contributes to infant distress in the colic syndrome. This study was designed to investigate the effect of diet change on distressed behavior in infants in a community setting while minimizing the potentially confounding effects of counseling and support. The lack of supportive contact between the research team and patients may have contributed to the high dropout rate. Because the patients were receiving anticolic medication and
Acknowledgements
The secretarial assistance of Mrs. J. Sedmak is gratefully acknowledged. The clinical studies were conducted by Sisters A. Duke, SRN, and J. Brown, SRN. The diet programs were developed with the help of Mrs. B. Lynch, Dip.Inst.Man., Certif.Dietetics, MDAA, AO, formerly Chief Dietitian, RCH, Melbourne. Mr. Hok Pan Yuen of the Statistical Consulting Centre, University of Melbourne, assisted with data management.
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From aRoyal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne; b Department of Statistics, University of Melbourne; and cMurdoch Institute for Research into Birth Defects, Melbourne.
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Supported by a grant from Mead Johnson Nutritionals, International Division of Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, USA.
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Reprint requests: David J. Hill, FRACP, Director, Department of Allergy, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville 3052, Melbourne, Australia.
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