Solid slumber for parents used to sleepless nights dealing with the shrieking of a colicky baby might soon be possible. Scientists at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston believe they have discovered an organism that causes colic, a condition in which an otherwise healthy baby cries or screams for extended periods of times. Until now, scientists have not come to a consensus on what causes the condition that affects about 15 percent of normal, healthy infants. 

“With colic, there is no evidence-based treatment we can offer,” says J. Marc Rhoads, professor of Pediatrics at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston. “Colic can be a dangerous situation for a baby. The parent's frustration over the crying can lead to maternal frustration, post-partum depression, and even thoughts of harming the baby.”

The study, published in the Journal of Pediatrics, points to Klebsiella, a naturally occurring bacterium found in the mouth, skin, and intestines, as the cause of colic. In a study of 36 newborns, half of which had colic, researchers found the bacterium and gut inflammation in the intestines of the babies with colic.

“We believe that the bacterium may be sparking an inflammatory reaction, causing the gut inflammation,” Rhoads, the lead investigator for the study, says. “Inflammation in the gut of colicky infants closely compared to levels in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.”

He adds that colic could be a precursor to other gastrointestinal conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome or Celiac’s Disease, a digestive disorder caused by eating gluten found in starches.

Currently, pediatricians prescribe a special hypoallergenic infant formula to try and treat colic, but it has not been proven effective in studies to treat the condition. Although one theory holds that breastfed babies are less likely to suffer from colic, previous research has not supported that claim. The 36 babies in the study were fed breast milk or formula and recruited from the UT Physicians' pediatric clinics and Kelsey-Seybold clinics.

This discovery of Klebsiella could help formulate a treatment and ultimately save lives, Rhoads says.

“More than half of infanticides fall into the age category of colic,” he says. “We may be able to prevent deaths if we can find a treatment.”