Colic

In Western medicine, infantile colic is characterized as a behavioral syndrome primarily observed in the early stages of infancy, involving excessive crying and difficulty in soothing the infant. This syndrome is often defined by the "rule of three," wherein an otherwise healthy and well-fed infant cries for more than three hours per day, for more than three days a week, and for over three weeks (Wessel et al., 1954 Pediatrics). On the other hand, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) posits that the root cause of colic primarily stems from indigestion related to overfeeding. According to TCM, the spleen and stomach systems are not fully developed until the age of six, making the infant susceptible to food stagnation and improper digestion (Xue et al., 2015, Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine). As such, TCM advocates for scheduled rather than on-demand feeding to mitigate the symptoms of colic (Chen et al., 2018, World Journal of Acupuncture-Moxibustion). These diverging perspectives on colic may offer complementary approaches for healthcare providers to manage this common but distressing condition in infancy, although more research is needed to clarify the mechanisms and optimal treatment strategies (Sung et al., 2018, The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30238506).