Frequency of infantile colic in neonates presenting At Tertiary Care Hospital.

Abstract

Objectives: To determine the frequency of infantile colic in neonates presenting at tertiary care hospital. Study Design: Cross Sectional Study. Setting: Department of Neonatology, Civil Hospital, Bahawalpur. Period: From January 2018 to August 2018. Material & Methods: Total 467 neonates either male or female were selected for this study. Total 467 neonates with complaints of crying and fussing either male or female were selected for this study and infantile colic was assessed in selected neonates by using Wessel criteria. Results: Total 467 neonates were selected for this study.  Mean age of the neonates was 24.94 ± 2.39 months, mean gestational age and mean weight was 39.42 ± 1.22 weeks and 3.27 ± 0.62g respectively.   Infantile colic was found in 322 (69%) neonates.  Infantile colic was found in 61 (33.33%) neonates, 136 (94.44%) neonates, 75 (87.21%) neonates and 50 (92.59%) neonates respectively.  Statistically significant association between infantile colic and type of feeding with p value 0.000.  Infantile colic was found in 147 (84.97%), 95 (67.86), 62 (49.21%) and 18 (64.29%) neonates respectively in 37 weeks, 38 weeks, 39 weeks and 40 weeks gestational age group.  Statistically insignificant association between infantile colic and gestational age was noted with p value 0.000. Conclusion: Results of present study showed higher rate of colic in infants.  Development of colic was highly associated with gestational age, birth weight and type of feeding.  There is no effective medical treatment (like anti-colic and herbal drugs) but alternative measures may relieve or prevent further colic attacks.