RESUMEN
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 30-40â¯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 (Fâ¯=â¯188.47; pâ¯<â¯0.0005; η2â¯=â¯0.78), sleep hours (Fâ¯=â¯61.20; pâ¯<â¯0.0005, η2â¯=â¯0.54) and colic severity (Fâ¯=â¯143.74; pâ¯<â¯0.0005, η2â¯=â¯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 (-2.47â¯h (95%CI, -2.95 to -1.99); pâ¯<â¯0.0005; dâ¯=â¯1.73), on day 14 (-3.29â¯h (95%CI, -3.7 to -2.8); pâ¯<â¯0.0005; dâ¯=â¯2.87) and on day 24 (-3.20â¯h (95%CI, -3.7 to -2.6); pâ¯<â¯0.0005; dâ¯=â¯2.54); in sleep hours on day 7 (-2.47â¯h (95%CI, -2.95 to -1.99); pâ¯<â¯0.0005; dâ¯=â¯1.73) on day 14 (-3.29â¯h (95%CI, -3.7 to -2.8); pâ¯<â¯0.0005; dâ¯=â¯2.87) and on day 24 (-3.20â¯h (95%CI, -3.7 to -2.6); pâ¯<â¯0.0005; dâ¯=â¯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.