A randomized controlled trial of burping for the prevention of colic and regurgitation in healthy infants. (9th June 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kaur, R.; Bharti, B.; Saini, S. K.
• Is Part Of: Child care health and development. Volume 41:Number 1(2015:Jan.)
• Page Start: 52
• Page End: 56
• Publication Date: 2014-06-09
• Subjects: Child development -- Periodicals; Child care -- Periodicals; Children -- Health and hygiene -- Periodicals; Children with disabilities -- Periodicals; 155.405
• DOI: 10.1111/cch.12166
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0305-1862

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>Abstract</title> <sec id="cch12166-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Background</title> <p>Efficacy of burping in lowering colic and regurgitation episodes in healthy term babies lacks evidence in literature.</p> </sec> <sec id="cch12166-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>We conducted a randomized controlled trial to compare efficacy of burping versus no‐burping in 71 mother–baby dyads in community setting. Primary outcome was reduction in event rates of colic and regurgitation episodes over 3 months.</p> </sec> <sec id="cch12166-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>Baseline characteristics were similar in two groups. Difference in incidence rates of colic between the control and burping group was 1.57 episodes/infant/100 weeks [95% confidence interval (CI): −0.63 to 3.76]. There was statistically no significant reduction in colic episodes between burping and non‐burping study subjects during 3 months of follow‐up (adjusted relative risk 0.64; 95% CI: 0.22–1.86, <italic>P</italic>‐value 0.41). Incidence rate difference of regurgitation episodes/infant/week between burping and control group was 4.36 (95% CI: 4.04 to 4.69) and there was statistically significant increase in burping group (adjusted relative risk 2.05; 95% CI: 1.92–2.18, <italic>P</italic>‐value < 0.0001).</p> </sec> <sec id="cch12166-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions</title> <p>Although burping is a rite of passage, our study showed that burping did not significantly lower colic events and there was significant increase in regurgitation episodes in healthy term infants up to 3 months of follow‐up.</p> </sec> </abstract>