Clinical Characteristics of Infantile Colic

Abstract

Purpose: To diagnose infantile colic from parent questionnaires, as well as investigating the risk factors and clinical course of infantile colic. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 462 infants, with a corrected age of <4 months at the time of visiting Inha University Hospital from January to December 2017. Parents responded to a 10-line questionnaire consisting of seven items relating to colic symptoms and three further items relating to underlying disease. The score was based on the number of days each symptom was evident during the preceding week. We defined infantile colic as the sum total being greater than seven points; if at least one of the three symptoms suggesting underlying disease was present, the infant was excluded from the diagnosis. Results: One hundred and sixty-seven infants (36.1%) satisfied the criteria. The lower the gestational age, the more infantile colic they developed (P<0.001). The prevalence of colic was higher in infants born with )