Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 2019/08, 47102164. doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2019.07.023, type of study: ,rct,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Full text    (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0965229918309452)

Keywords:

cranio sacral osteopathy [30]
manual therapy [169]
infantile colic [57]
crying infants [48]
pediatrics [573]
sleep disorders [19]
randomized controlled trial [947]

Abstract:

Objectives: To determine the effectiveness of Craniosacral Therapy (CST) for the treatment of infantile colic. Material and methods: This randomized controlled trial was conducted on 58 infants, aged 0–84 days, diagnosed with infantile colic. The babies received a 30–40 minute CST session once a week (experimental group) or no treatment (control group). Babies in the CST group received either 1, 2 or 3 CST sessions over a 14-day period. Data were collected at 4 different times over the 24-day period, day 0 (baseline), day 7, day 14 and day 24. Crying (primary outcome) and sleep (secondary outcome) were evaluated using a crying and sleep diary, and colic severity was measured using the Infant Colic Severity Questionnaire (secondary outcome). Results: There was a statistically significant difference between groups (CST and control) in crying hours (F=188.47; p < 0.0005; η2=0.78), sleep hours (F=61.20; p < 0.0005, η2=0.54) and colic severity (F=143.74; p < 0.0005, η2=0.73) across all the time points. In comparison with the control group, CST babies reported significant and clinically relevant effects in crying hours on day 7 (−2.47 h (95%CI, −2.95 to −1.99); p < 0.0005; d=1.73), on day 14 (−3.29 h (95%CI, −3.7 to −2.8); p < 0.0005; d=2.87) and on day 24 (−3.20 h (95%CI, −3.7 to −2.6); p < 0.0005; d=2.54); in sleep hours on day 7 (−2.47 h (95%CI, −2.95 to −1.99); p < 0.0005; d=1.73) on day 14 (-3.29 h (95%CI, −3.7 to −2.8); p < 0.0005; d=2.87) and on day 24 (−3.20 h (95%CI, −3.7 to −2.6); p < 0.0005; d=2.54). Conclusions: Craniosacral therapy appears to be effective and safe for infantile colic by reducing the number of crying hours, the colic severity and increasing the total hours of sleep.