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No Good Evidence That Folk Remedies Ease Colic

Posted 28 Mar 2011 by Drugs.com

MONDAY, March 28 – Fennel extract, herbal tea and sugar water relieved colic in some infants better than a placebo, according to a new study that reviewed clinical trials of alternative remedies for colic. But parents shouldn't get their hopes up too high. All of the trials reviewed had "major limitations," such as having too few patients, relying on parental reports of symptoms, or the study design (such as not being double-blinded). "The notion that any form of complementary and alternative medicine is effective for infantile colic currently is not supported from the evidence from the included randomized clinical trials," the researchers from the United Kingdom wrote. "Additional replications are needed before firm conclusions can be drawn." But because fennel extract, certain herbal teas and sugar water are generally safe, and because the research does suggest babies may benefit, ... Read more

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