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Colic
in infants linked to inability to digest apple juice, but not white
grape juice, according to pediatric study.
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Audio:
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Text of the Dr.
Lifshitz/Pediatrics Video News Release |
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Intro:
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Anyone who has had a colicky infant
knows it's a nightmare, and there's no solution except waiting it
out. Now, new research tells us that infants that have had colic may
need some extra "T-L-C". A good place to start is by finding which
juice will be easiest on the little ones' still sensitive stomachs.
Katherine Matthews reports… |
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VO:
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It used to be that the only good news
about colic was that by the time most children reached three to four
months of age, the symptoms disappeared, with no lasting effects. Or
so we thought…
Now, research published in the May, 2002 issue of Pediatrics
suggests that the stomachs of children with a history of colic may
remain sensitive for many more months, and the juice you feed them
may cause many of the symptoms of colic to return. |
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Dr. Lifshitz:
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The study showed that infants who had a
history of colic were not able to tolerate apple juice as well as
they tolerated white grape juice. |
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VO:
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The study looked at 30 infants, 4 to 6
months of age, of which 16 had experienced colic, and 14 had not.
Half the group was fed one serving of white grape juice, the other
half apple juice, and the results were analyzed.
In addition to increased crying, colicky infants taking apple juice
also exhibited greater energy expenditure after eating. The white
grape juice infants tolerated the juice well.
Previous research has also shown that young infants have difficulty
digesting apple juice. This is often attributed to the presence of
sorbitol in the juice, and the imbalance of basic sugars. It makes
sense, say the authors, that those who have had colic would be even
more sensitive to these factors. |
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Dr. Lifshitz:
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The juice to be given is the one that
has the right blend of sugars and is well absorbed an digested by
all infants and that is white grape juice. |
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VO: |
This is Katherine Matthews reporting. |
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