Apparatus and method for treating or relieving colicky infants

Apparatus for treating or relieving a colicky infant having an age in the range from zero to six months after birth of such infant, said apparatus comprising:

• support means having a support surface against which a body and head of a colicky infant can be rested,
• said support surface having a predetermined direction for resting the colicky infant's body and head against said support surface with the colicky infant's body and head extending generally horizontally along said predetermined direction,
• distributed drive means in driving relationship with said support surface,
• said driving relationship of said distributed drive means extending along said support surface in said predetermined direction for a distance at least equal to a typical distance from a middle of a colicky infant's stomach to the top of the head, and
• said distributed drive means producing predetermined movement of said support surface in a regular repetitive traveling sine wave motion having a wave length in the range from about 24 inches in said directions to about 3 inches.

Apparatus for treating or relieving colicky infants by simulating an intra-uterine environment experienced prior to birth by an unborn child in a womb comprising:

• a frame for use in a bed adapted for having a mattress positioned thereon on which an infant with colic can be rested,
• said frame having a longitudinal direction,
• a series of upwardly and downwardly movable elements,
• said elements being arranged along the longitudinal direction of said frame,
• distributed drive means acting on said movable elements form producing repetitive and sequential upward and downward motion by said movable elements of about 6 mm to about 10 mm for producing regular, repetitive traveling sine-wave-like motion progressive in the longitudinal direction of said frame and having frequency in the range of about 7 to about 20 cycles per minute,
• said frame including a stiffly flexible layer,
• said elements being integral strips of said layer,
• said strips of said layer extending transversely relative to the longitudinal direction of said frame,
• said strips being separated from one another by spaced slots extending transversely relative to the longitudinal direction of said frame for permitting resilient, individual up and down movement of each respective strip,
• said distributed drive means including a motor having a drive shaft,
• speed-reduction torque-increasing transmission means coupled to said drive shaft,
• a plurality of wave-motion cams,
• said cams being rotated about a common axis by said transmission means, and
• respective cams being positioned beneath mid-portions of respective ones of said strips for causing movement of the individual strips up and down in predetermined sequence for imparting a traveling sine-wave-like motion to said strips and thus to a mattress positioned thereon.