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My baby is cries like mad after feeding. My doctor says he has gas and he has prescribed Myilcon. Simethicone is one of the key ingredients. What is it, and is it potentially harmful to my baby?
Simethicone is a chemical whose purpose is to relieve gas by reducing the strength of the gas bubbles. It does this by allowing smaller bubbles to combine into larger bubbles. Simethicone by itself does not get rid of the gas. The theory is that small gas bubbles form in the intestines so they look almost like foam. These small gas bubble are very hard for an adult, much less a newborn, to pass. By getting the small gas bubbles to combine into one large one, it's easier for babies to pass the gas, thereby relieving any bloating, pain or colic. Often when doctors see babies that are experiencing gas problems, they will prescribe some medication with Simethicone in it, hoping that it can relieve some of the gas pain.
Overall Simethicone has no listed side effects, but there have been reports of nausea, stomach upset, dry mouth, drowsiness, dizziness, or constipation. These side effects have all been reported by adults using this medication. Since infants cannot tell us what is going on, there is no way to know if these side effects are the same for them. Call your pediatrician if there are any rashes, swelling, fever or extended crying after the medication has been given.
Will Simethicone help calm colic? Studies were completed by both the University of Michigan and The National Institutes of Health in which half the colicky babies were given simethicone and the other half a placebo. The conclusion both studies came to was that Simethicone is not effective. It did not produce any better results than the group that received the placebo. The babies' crying eased over a two week period, but both studies concluded that this was due to normal progress and was not influenced by the drug.
I would conclude from this that Simethicone does not do much except transfer money from your bank account to that of the pharmaceutical company. If you have determined that your baby's colic is coming from excess gas, then the next step is to find out what foods are causing that gas. If you are breastfeeding your baby, the gas could be due to foods in your diet or due to your breastfeeding technique.
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