Infant colic treatment commonly contains which active ingredient?

• A. Simeticone
• B. Loperamide
• C. Dimethicone
• D. Lactase

Answer: (A)

Gas-related abdominal discomfort is often what people want to relieve in infant colic, so the treatment typically uses an agent that reduces gas bubbles in the gut. Simethicone acts as an anti-foaming compound, lowering the surface tension of tiny gas bubbles so they coalesce into larger bubbles that are easier to pass, which can lessen distension and calm crying driven by gas. It isn’t absorbed into the bloodstream, making it a commonly chosen, generally safe option for infants when used as directed. By contrast, loperamide is used for diarrhea, lactase targets lactose intolerance, and dimethicone is another anti-foaming agent but is not the standard go-to for infant colic in most practice guidelines.