Abstract
Infantile colic is a self-limiting condition that is characterised by spasmodic, excessive and
inconsolable crying without apparent cause. 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. The research sample consisted of 152 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. Results from this study,
conducted on the perceived effectiveness of complementary medicine by mothers of infants
with colic in Gauteng, indicated that participants perceived complementary medicine as an
effective form of treatment for infantile colic; however, there is uncertainty whether it works
well in conjunction with conventional medicine. Further education is also needed on
complementary medicine due to the misunderstanding of terms, complementary medicine and
conventional medicine.