Infantile Colic-Related Symptoms and Maternal Feeding Attitudes in Infants Aged 7–12 Months: Associations with Sensory Processing Characteristics in a Cross-Sectional Study
Yasin Tekeci, Enes Tuğrul, Melike Selin İkinci Kaya, Berkan TorpilBackground/Objectives: Infantile colic is primarily recognized as an early-infancy condition, yet early regulatory difficulties may be associated with sensory processing and feeding-related characteristics later in infancy. This study examined associations among colic-related symptom scores, sensory processing characteristics, and maternal attitudes toward breastfeeding versus formula feeding in infants aged 7–12 months with a documented history of infantile colic. Methods: This cross-sectional correlational study included 100 infants aged 7–12 months with a clinically documented colic diagnosis in the first 4 months of life meeting Wessel’s criteria. The Infant/Toddler Sensory Profile-2 (ITSP-2), Infant Colic Scale (ICS), and Iowa Infant Feeding Attitude Scale (IIFAS) were administered. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlations and two multiple linear regression models. Results: IIFAS scores were inversely correlated with ICS scores (r = −0.708, p < 0.001). ICS scores correlated most strongly with General Processing (r = 0.804), Low Registration (r = 0.749), Sensitivity (r = 0.737), and Seeking (r = 0.719; all p < 0.001). In regression analyses, ICS scores were independently associated with IIFAS score (β = −0.291), General Processing (β = 0.567), Sensation Avoiding (β = −0.146), and Auditory Processing (β = −0.125) (R2 = 0.728, adjusted R2 = 0.716), while IIFAS scores were independently associated with ICS score (β = −0.427) and Low Registration (β = −0.376) (R2 = 0.564, adjusted R2 = 0.555; all p < 0.05). Conclusions: In infants with a history of colic, sensory processing characteristics were associated with current colic-related symptom scores and maternal feeding attitudes and may warrant consideration in clinical evaluation. Longitudinal studies are needed to clarify the temporal and causal nature of these associations.