Does your baby cry for long periods of time without explanation? Has your baby been fed, changed, and had a nap, but still cries? If this is the case, your little one may be suffering from colic. Colic can be defined as a fluctuating pain in the abdomen most likely caused by gas or intestinal problems. When you have a colicky little one, you may find yourself wondering if you are doing something wrong. The answer is absolutely not. Babies sometimes just have colic and it’s not usually based on anything parents did or didn’t do. It can still be extremely frustrating to want to help your baby and not know where to begin. Consulting a Lithia Spring chiropractor is a great place to start. Many parents have found relief for their colicky babies with chiropractic care.
How Do I Know if My Baby Has Colic?
Colic in babies can begin to manifest itself when an infant is as young as 3 weeks old. In most cases, a baby will outgrow colic by the age of 3 months, but for some, it can last longer. Either way, no length of time with a colicky baby is enjoyable, so most parents seek to find a solution as quickly as possible. A specific cause of colic may not be known, but there are several signs to look for to identify colic in infants. For example, babies with colic usually cannot be consoled with any amount of holding, bouncing, or rocking, no matter how hard parents try. Additionally, colicky babies tend to ball up their fists, flex their legs, or tense their stomachs when they cry. If you notice any of these signs, it may be time to seek help from a Lithia Springs chiropractor.
What Can I Do for My Infant?
There are several methods to try to help alleviate symptoms of colic. For some babies, trying a new holding position, such as a stomach hold, can help. For others, a change in diet may be beneficial. Medications for colic can also be used, although some medications may come with unwanted side effects. Chiropractic care is a natural and safe method that has helped many babies experience relief from colic. Chiropractic care is gentle and safe for your baby. Lithia Springs chiropractor Dr. Ronnie Bolar will gently adjust the baby’s spine to remove spinal misalignments that may be causing nerve interference. When babies get adjusted, the pressure used to move the bone is incredibly gentle so you can rest assured it is perfectly safe and will not be painful.
Spinal misalignments cause disruptions in the nervous system, which can cause dysfunction within the body, including digestive issues or stomach pains that are often thought to be a common cause of colic. Once spinal misalignments are corrected, the body’s systems can function properly to alleviate symptoms of colic. For some babies, just one or two visits to Dr. Ronnie Bolar at Vital Life Chiropractic is all it takes to dissolve all signs of colic.
Does Chiropractic Really Work?
At first, some parents are skeptical of chiropractic adjustments for their babies. But case studies have shown the effectiveness of chiropractic care for colic. For instance, one case study looked at 104 colicky babies. After receiving regular chiropractic adjustments, babies experienced a significant decrease in crying time at night. Another study followed two groups of colicky babies. One group received chiropractic care while the other did not. It was discovered that colicky babies who didn’t receive regular chiropractic adjustments were two times more likely to cry during the day and less likely to sleep better at night. As these babies grew into toddlers, those who received chiropractic adjustments were also less likely to throw tantrums and continued to sleep better at night.
If you are a parent of a colicky baby, there is hope for a resolution. Chiropractic care is not only beneficial for colicky babies, but it also a relief for parents who have struggled to find a solution. If you live in Mableton, Austell, Clarkdell, Lithia Springs, or the greater Atlanta area, call Dr. Ronnie Bolar of Vital Life Chiropractic to schedule an appointment today.
Sources
Miller, J.E., Phillips, H.L. “Long-term Effects of Infant Colic: A Survey Comparison of Chiropractic Treatment and Nontreatment Groups.” Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 2009 Oct; 32(8): 635-8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19836599.
Miller, J.E., Newell, D., Bolton, J.E. “Efficacy of Chiropractic Manual Therapy on Infant Colic: A Pragmatic Single-Blind, Randomized Controlled Trial.” Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 2012 Oct; 35(8): 600-607. https://www.jmptonline.org/article/S0161-4754(12)00161-3/abstract?code=ymmt-site.