Soy Formula Doesn't Help Colic

In Reply.— We fully agree with LeBlanc that there was no significant improvement when infants with colic were given a soy protein-based formula. As pointed out in the "Discussion," as many as 53% of the infants showed an adverse reaction to soy (corresponding figure for cow's milk formula was 71%). We also emphasized that these figures must be interpreted with caution. In fact, soy protein-based formula was a bad choice as placebo. A placebo substance should be a substance of no importance as an allergen in infancy and soy protein has been shown to be as antigenic as cow's milk proteins (Eastham EJ, et al: J Pediatr 1978;93:561).