What is Colic?

As you look far and wide there is no great answer when it comes to the “why” or “what” when you talk about colic. The cause is often unknown and it can be extremely frustrating for parents that are seeking answers.

How is Colic Diagnosed?

Colic is typically diagnosed by the following criteria:

  1. The child cries more than 3 hours per day
  2. The child cries more than 3 days per week
  3. The child exhibits the first 2 for more than 3 weeks

*Colic affects between 10-30% of infants worldwide*

What Do Your Doctors have to Say about Colic?

The medical community is often times at a complete loss when it comes to a child exhibiting colic like symptoms. The most common thing that we hear from parents on a regular basis is, “just wait until they are 3 months or older and it should go away”. So the answer is to just wait for months while your baby cries over 3 hours per day…?

This mom talks about how chiropractic adjustments helped ease her baby’s colic.

Other Approaches to helping with colic

  1. Formula vs breastfeeding: There are many benefits of a breast-fed child, including some sources citing a decrease in colic symptoms.
  2. Mother’s Diet: Avoid foods that seem to be a trigger or cause distress to the baby. Examples would be spicy foods or dairy products.

Chiropractic Approach to Easing Colic Pain

We look for specific areas of the baby’s nervous system that may not be functioning at 100%.

When the nervous system is “stuck” or not functioning the way it was intended it can cause many stressful signs such as colic.

For example, if the baby’s nervous system responsible for the digestion organs are not working properly it can cause pain, spasms and colic like symptoms.

A research article published by Meyer, J looked at 104 random infants that were experiencing colic like symptoms. A randomized portion of the group received chiropractic care. As a result, infants that were adjusted were 5 times less likely to cry in colicky patterns!

What was the conclusion of the study?

“Our findings reveal that chiropractic care is a viable alternative to the care of infantile colic and congruent with evidence-based practice, particularly when one considers that medical care options are no better than placebo or have associated adverse events.” SOURCE

Chiropractic does not add or take anything away from the body in order to achieve results.

When the nervous system is allowed to properly coordinate and regulate the body one can achieve a higher level of health.

Blessings,
Dr. Aaron Cain