Migraines In Mothers Linked To Babies With Colic

Research released today, and scheduled to be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 64th Annual Meeting in New Orleans, April 21 to April 28, 2012, suggests that mothers with a history of migraines are more likely to have babies who have problems with colic. Colic is when a baby cries far more than a normal, healthy infant who might be hungry, need changing or have a little wind.

Study author Amy Gelfand, MD, child neurologist, from the Headache Center at the University of California, San Francisco, and a member of the American Academy of Neurology said : 

"Since migraine is a highly genetic disorder, our study suggests that infant colic may be an early sign that a child may be predisposed toward migraine headache later in life ... Colic may be another example of a childhood periodic syndrome, which is often a precursor to migraine."

The researchers looked at more than 150 mothers and their babies, and colic was reported by questions the scientists developed - using standard criteria for identifying colic. Mothers who had a history of colic were two and a half times more likely to have babies with colic, than those who did not have migraines. In all, twenty nine percent of infants had colic when mothers had a history of migraines, whereas only eleven percent of babies had colics when their mothers didn't have migraines. 

The data was collected from only a small number of families and probably needs more thorough research involving a few thousand subjects, but it is interesting, none the less, and might help to at least identify and assist mothers who have a history of migraines in dealing with their infants more effectively. 

Gelfand concludes that : 

"This may be helpful in more accurately identifying children who have childhood periodic syndromes by asking about a history of infant colic. In addition, this study helps to advance our understanding about the different expressions of migraine across a person's lifetime."