New ROME IV Criteria2
The classic definition of infant colic was given in 1954 by Wessel, who described colic in the “Rule of 3’s” – a well-fed, otherwise healthy infant with crying or fussing for more than 3 hours a day, for more than 3 days per week and for more than 3 weeks.1 The modified Wessel’s criteria reduced the duration of symptom to one week when it was realised that it was not practical to ask parents to wait 3 weeks for a diagnosis.1 However, the need to recognise colic as a benign functional condition resulted in it being classified as a functional gastrointestinal disorder (FGID) under the ROME diagnostic criteria.1 The current ROME IV criteria was formulated in 2016 and it considers crying behaviour, which causes distress to parents, rather than the duration of crying.1
Colic – What’s new and what has stayed the same?
May 23, 2021
New ROME IV Criteria2
The classic definition of infant colic was given in 1954 by Wessel, who described colic in the “Rule of 3’s” – a well-fed, otherwise healthy infant with crying or fussing for more than 3 hours a day, for more than 3 days per week and for more than 3 weeks.1 The modified Wessel’s criteria reduced the duration of symptom to one week when it was realised that it was not practical to ask parents to wait 3 weeks for a diagnosis.1 However, the need to recognise colic as a benign functional condition resulted in it being classified as a functional gastrointestinal disorder (FGID) under the ROME diagnostic criteria.1 The current ROME IV criteria was formulated in 2016 and it considers crying behaviour, which causes distress to parents, rather than the duration of crying.1