Sir.—Recurrent abdominal pain is a fairly common and difficult problem to treat in the pediatric and early adolescent period. Patients are considered to suffer from this entity who have three episodes or more of abdominal pain in a period of at least three months.1 An organic cause has been reported in 5% to 50% of cases (R. Barr, personal communication, 1981).2 However, in most reported series, the cause in the great majority of cases has been considered to be nonorganic. Another very common pediatric problem is infantile colic, which usually occurs during the first three or four months of life but may occasionally persist somewhat longer. Again, no organic or physiologic cause is usually present.3 A relationship between these entities has been suggested.4
To explore this possible relationship, we reviewed all of our infants born in the year 1967 who were followed up thereafter in