The irritable baby Neil

p0330 The constantly irritable infant is often referred to by primary health care providers in a somewhat offhanded way as being colicky, as if that somehow represents the final word on the subject. ‘Infantile colic’ is a term which is used by various health care professions to describe the persistent, often violent crying which sometimes characterizes an otherwise healthy and thriving baby. As many as 1 in 5 parents report a problem with infant irritability or crying in the first 3 months of life but less than 1 in 20 with problem crying have an organic cause (Hiscock & Jordan 2004). p0335 Although there have been a number of theories proposed as to the etiology of colic, the literature remains fraught with difficulties in definition, methodological problems and numerous claims as to both etiology and management that are anecdotal (Hewson et al 1987). Various medical authors believe colicky behavior to be a reaction pain, probably of intestinal origin (Behrman et al 2007, Hull & Johnston 1987, Illingworth 1985). That this characteristic irritable behavior attributed to colic which is uncomplicated by other disease is a result of pain is also supported by researchers within both chiropractic and medicine (Biedermann 1992, Gutmann 1987, Kloughart et al 1989, Nilsson 1985). While the exact mechanisms for this pain remain to some extent obscure, the work of Sato (1980) and Budgell (1998) has shed considerable light on the subject, suggesting a neurophysiological mechanism that supports the clinical observations of Kloughart et al (1989) in their multicentered research trial which demonstrated a striking success rate for resolution of colicky symptoms in young infants after chiropractic management. p0340 Infantile colic probably remains best conceptualized as the end result of a complex transaction between the infant and their environment with multiple factors potentially responsible for the crying and distress (Hewson et al 1987). However, for a subgroup of infants, early excessive crying may evolve into a more generalized ’persistent mother-infant distress’ syndrome (Leung & Lemay 2004). Taken together, these factors open the way for wide-ranging management options for the chiropractor. s0010 Uncomplicated colic