Treatment of infant colic with amino acid‐based infant formula: a preliminary study

Infant colic, a common disorder of infancy, is characterized by excessive crying and fussing. In this preliminary study we examined whether Neocate, an amino acid‐based formula, would be accepted by formula‐fed infants with colic, 3‐7 wk of age, and whether Neocate would improve their symptoms. Six infants with colic were studied using Barr‐type infant behavior diaries for 3‐6 d on their current formula and then for 5‐17 d on Neocate exclusively. All infants tolerated Neocate well and all improved, usually within 1–2 d. The total time spent crying and fussing was reduced by an average of 45%, representing a decrease of 1.0 to 5.2 h daily. After colic symptoms improved, infants were challenged with oral doses of 75 mg of bovine IgG at a 1 mg/ml concentration in order to assess its potential role in colic. Bovine IgG challenges resulted in increased crying and fussing behavior, suggesting that this protein may be etiologically important.