title: Practical algorithms for managing common gastrointestinal symptoms in infants.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In early infancy, various gastrointestinal symptoms (e.g., constipation, regurgitation, crying/fussiness, infantile colic, and excessive gas) are common problems and may result in numerous visits to pediatricians. Worldwide, this often results in switching infant formulas because parents (and sometimes doctors) believe these symptoms reflect a formula intolerance. However, in many cases, these infants are growing and developing normally. This study was performed to offer family pediatricians consensus-based algorithms on the management of the most common gastrointestinal symptoms in infants.
  
  
  METHODS
  A group of pediatric gastroenterologists and pediatric allergists from Europe, USA, Latin America, and Asia developed guidelines and practical algorithms to assist general pediatricians in addressing this challenge.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five such practice recommendations were developed after a thorough literature review. These algorithms should not be considered as an "evidence-based guideline"; on the contrary, the authors are convinced that challenging these proposals will result in updated and improved versions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To date, these algorithms, based on the published literature, are the result of a broad consensus of pediatric gastroenterologists from different continents.
authors.affiliation: UZ Brussel, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium. yvan.vandenplas@uzbrussel.be
authors.forename: Yvan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Vandenplas
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gutierrez-Castrellon
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Velasco-Benitez
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Palacios
authors.forename: Domingo
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jaen
authors.forename: Hugo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: Lynette Pei-Chi
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Shek
authors.forename: Pei-Chi Lynette
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Shek
authors.forename: Bee-Wah
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Alarcon
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D003085:Colic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D003248:Constipation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D003448:Crying; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D041943:Infant Formula; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D057045:Laryngopharyngeal Reflux / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D016269:Milk Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic