Does Homeopathy Help Infantile Colic?Complementary and Alternative Therapies Evidence-based Summary
Date of review: August 2006
View the plain language summary of this evidence review below.
View also in PDF format - Homeopathy and Infantile Colic 2006 (PDF, 23 KB)
Treatment in brief
Homeopathy for infantile colic
Infantile colic
Infantile colic is typically defined as crying in healthy thriving children for at least three hours a day on at least three days a week, usually starting in the first two weeks of life. The cause is unclear, and may include painful gut contractions or tension in the parent-child interaction. It is also suggested that colic is just the extreme end of “normal” crying. Probably there is no single cause. Most infants are free of symptoms by the age of six months.
Homeopathy
Homeopathic treatment is based on the theory that disorders can be cured by giving small amounts of natural substances that, if given in large amounts, would cause symptoms similar to those experienced by the patient – the principle of “like cures like”. It is suggested that homeopathic remedies (medicines) work by stimulating the body’s natural defences to promote recovery, though their precise mode of action is unexplained (Merrall 2002). Homeopathic remedies are commonly used for infantile colic (Ekins-Daukes 2004, Canadian Paediatric Society 2005), with more than ten different remedies available (UMM 1999).The choice of remedy used depends on the behaviour and characteristics of the individual baby.
The evidence
There has been no research on the use of homeopathy for infantile colic. One review of studies was found which investigated the safety of homeopathic remedies in general (used for any disorder). Few of the studies in the review described adverse events, but any adverse events that were reported were mild and short-lived and tended to consist of a worsening of symptoms already present.
Key messages
| Evidence | Level of evidence |
| Homeopathy is commonly used for infantile colic, but no studies have been held on this topic | No trial evidence |
| Homeopathy is commonly used for infantile colic, but no studies have been held on this topic | 3 |
Key: Levels of evidence
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Evidence with a high degree of reliability | Evidence with reliability, but open to debate | Some evidence without a high degree of reliability | Some evidence, but based on studies without comparable groups. |
References
The information in this summary was developed by conducting a systematic literature search of online databases (Medline, CINAHL, EMBASE and AMED), seeking systematic reviews and controlled or observational studies of homeopathy for infantile colic.
Additional references
- Canadian Paediatric Society. Homeopathy in the paediatric population, Paediatric Child Health, 2005;10(3):176-7.
- Dantes F, Rampes H. Do homeopathic medicines provoke adverse effects? A systematic review. British Homeopathic Journal 2000;89(1):S35-8.
- Ekins-Daukes S, Helms PJ, Taylor MW, Simpson CR, McLay JS. Paediatric homeopathy in general practice: where, when and why? British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 2004;59(6):743-9.
- Merrall WC, Shalts E, Homeopathy. Medical Clinics of North America, 2002;86:47-620. University of Maryland Medical Center website. Infantile Colic, Review date 1999. At: http://www.umm.edu/altmed/ConsConditions/InfantileColiccc.html#Alternative. Accessed July 2006.
DISCLAIMER: This summary does not provide specific medical advice and the information provided should not be used as a substitute for seeking medical advice from a registered health practitioner.
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