Efficiency of Dimethicone and Symbiotic Approaches in Infantile Colic Management

Abstract

Background: Infantile colic (IC) (a frequent reason for infantile referral to pediatricians) is a common indiscoverable problem posing concerns for parents. Varieties of theories for the etiology of IC have been raised, and different therapeutic approaches have been recommended in this regard. This study aimed to assess and compare the efficiency of dimethicone versus symbiotic in the treatment of IC. Methods: This randomized clinical trial was conducted on 149 infants with the diagnosis of IC based on the Wessel criteria from 2017 to 2018. The study population was randomly divided into two groups of Dimethicone (n=73) (five drops of dimethicone, three times a day for three weeks) and Symbiotic (n=76) (five daily drops of symbiotic for three weeks). Utilized symbiotic contained fructooligosacharide periodic and probiotic of 109CFU of Bifidobacterium lactis. Duration of an infant crying per day, numbers of crying per day, sleep duration per day, and number of defecation per day were obtained prior to the study and at the end of each week. Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the groups regarding age, gender, and values of breastfeeding (P>0.05). Crying duration, numbers of crying, and sleep duration per day improved significantly in the dimethicone group (P 0.05). Conclusion: The findings of the current study presented that dimethicone and symbiotic could successfully improve IC symptoms regarding crying times, as well as the duration and sleeping time per day. Comparison of these two remedies for IC treatment revealed no significant differences.