WHAT IS COLIC?

Colic is when an infant who isn’t sick or hungry cries for more than 3 hours a day, more than 3 days a week, for more than 3 weeks. The condition is a bit of a mystery, but experts agree on a few things:

Colic is likely to start around 2 weeks of age if your infantis full-term, or later if they were born prematurely.
It can happen regardless of your baby’s sex, their birth order, and whether you breast- or bottle-feed.
Kids who had colic grow up no differently from those who didn’t. (source)

WHAT CAUSES COLIC?

Doctors aren’t sure what causes colic. It may be due to digestion problems, pain or sensitivity to something in the baby’s formula or that a nursing mom is eating. Or it might be from a baby trying to get used to the sights and sounds of being out in the world.

Some colicky babies also have gas because they swallow so much air while crying. But it’s not the gas that causes the colic. (source)

TREATMENTS

The primary goals are to soothe the child as much as possible with a variety of interventions and ensure that parents have the support they need to cope.

Soothing strategies – Some may work better than others, and some may work one time but not another. Soothing strategies may include:

Using a pacifier
Taking your infant for a car ride or on a walk in a stroller
Walking around with or rocking your baby
Swaddling your baby in a blanket
Giving your baby a warm bath
Rubbing your infant’s tummy or placing your baby on the tummy for a back rub
Playing an audio of heartbeats or quiet, soothing sounds
Providing white noise by running a white noise machine, a vacuum cleaner or clothes drier in a nearby room
Dimming the lights and limiting other visual stimulation
Feeding practices – Changes in feeding practices may also provide some relief. Bottle-feed your baby in an upright position and burp frequently during and after a feeding. Using a curved bottle will help with upright feeding, and a collapsible bag bottle can reduce the intake of air.

Trial changes in diet – If soothing or feeding practices aren’t reducing crying or irritability, your doctor may recommend a short-term trial of dietary changes. If your baby has a food allergy, however, there would likely be other signs and symptoms, such as a rash, wheezing, vomiting or diarrhea (source)

HOW CHIROPRACTIC CAN HELP

Chiropractic is a natural science, it works with the nervous system to allow normal body function to take place properly once again. Any vertebral subluxation causing disturbance to the nerves in stomach, intestines, and other abdominal organs could adversely affect gastric function and result in pain, gas and other colic symptoms. The Chiropractic doctor specializes in the detection and correction of subluxations. As chiropractic helps to restore normal function in a child’s nervous system, the infant’s digestive tract and other related organs have a better opportunity to receive nerve supply from the brain, bringing it back to full normal potential. The result is a happy and content baby. Chiropractic care has given some of the best results, with 94% of colicky babies showing improvement with chiropractic adjustments. Chiropractic care is a gentle, conservative, and highly successful option for treating infants with colic. Chiropractic adjustments for infants are gentle, specific, and safe. (source)

Dr. Isaac Mooberry as a Denver chiropractor has worked with a number of babies with colic and enjoys helping families create a healthy peaceful environment for them to raise their families in our community.