Abstract
Infantile colic is a self-limiting condition that is characterised by spasmodic, excessive and inconsolable crying without apparent cause. It is defined according to Wessel’s criteria as crying in a seemingly healthy infant that lasts for more than three hours each day, on more than three days a week, for a period of more than three weeks. Infantile colic affects infants between the ages of 2-16 weeks and tends to naturally resolve itself around 16 weeks of age. Infantile colic is a common, but poorly understood condition that occurs in 10-30% of infants. Research indicates that there may be various independent aetiologies of colic. Infantile colic is one of the most common reasons parents take their infants to paediatric healthcare practitioners despite there being no widely accepted conventional treatment for colic. Due to the recent growth of the complementary medicine market in South Africa and numerous complementary medicines being available over-the-counter, parents may turn to complementary medical treatments for their infants’ colic. There is currently no gold standard treatment for colic and there is limited research available on the use, safety and effectiveness of complementary medicine in infantile colic.
The aim of this study was to determine the perceived effectiveness of complementary medicine by mothers of infants with colic in Gauteng, by means of an Infantile Colic Questionnaire.
A quantitative-descriptive design was used whereby data was collected through a randomised cross-sectional survey to determine the perceived effectiveness of complementary medicine by mothers of infants with colic in Gauteng. The Infantile Colic Questionnaire was completed on a voluntary basis as a convenience sample. Participants were recruited from various baby and health clinics, health shops, antenatal groups and nursery schools. The research sample consisted of 150 mothers (participants), aged between 18-45 years with a child/children who suffer/suffered from symptoms of infantile colic and use complementary medicine as a form of treatment. The survey was completed on a voluntary basis and interested participants were given an Information Leaflet and Consent Form. Once consent was given, participants completed the Infantile Colic Questionnaire. All completed surveys were treated as strictly confidential, and only the researcher, supervisor and statistician had access to the information. No identifying data was requested or permitted on the survey. Data obtained was statistically analysed with the assistance of Statkon through frequencies and multiple response analysis.
Majority of participants made use of both complementary medicine and conventional medicine (73%) for their infant’s colic. The most commonly used complementary products for infantile colic were individualised homeopathic remedies (58.6%), probiotics (46.7%) and over-the-...
M.Tech. (Homoeopathy)