Infantile Colic and Persistent Distress

Persistent crying, especially in the evening, are normal developmental phenomena in infants in the first 3 months of life and often is a common paediatric problem that may affect up to 40% of young children.
In less than 5% of infants the distressed behaviour continues: irritability, fussing, or crying that persist for more than 3 hours a day, for more than 3 days a week are said to represent a infantile colic.

Infants suffering from infantile colic, the legs may be drawn up to the abdomen, they become flushed and also abdominal distension and increased passage of flatus can be noted.

The mechanisms leading to infantile colic are poorly understood and the role of dietary factors has remained controversial, but children with Cow Milk Allergy (CMA) often show colic and distressed behavior as one manifestation of the disease.
Several studies have shown that extensively hydrolyzed formulas and amino acid based formulas may reduce distress.