All About Colic
By Dr. Tessa van Leeuwen-Tyler
Does your otherwise thriving infant cry uncontrollably for long periods of time? They may be experiencing colic and you would not be alone! It is estimated that about 15-25% of families with babies deal with colic. Colic may develop between the first 2 weeks and can last up to 3 months of age or longer. You may see persistent and violent crying for no apparent cause in otherwise thriving babies. It is not known exactly what causes colic-behaviour in infants but there has been many theories including gas, lactose intolerance, food allergies, constipation, or structural weakness within the infant’s stomach/diaphragm area. Make sure you see your paediatrician to be sure it is only colic and there are no underlying issues for the excessive crying. Colic is common and it is not your fault! It can happen to first babies, fifth babies, boys, girls, any socioeconomic status and breastfeed or formula fed.
Tips for Dealing with Colic:
1. Learn your baby’s cues and cries- this is the only way your baby can communicate with you and if you can settle the issue prior to the big emotional build ups and outbursts the better.
2. Probiotics for your newborn- there has been research showing that this may help babies. They help establish good microbioms in the gut
3. Dietary changes- infants can be sensitive to different foods. This main culprits include: dairy, coffee, chocolate, citrus, champagne, and cruciferous vegetables. Approximately 10-15% of infants will be sensitive to different foods such as dairy, coffee, chocolate, champagne, and cruciferous vegetables
4. See a chiropractor who is confident in working with infants. One study in 1989 followed 316 infants with moderate to severe cases of colic, crying about 5.2 hours per day. One group of infants received chiropractic care over a period of 2 weeks (about 3 adjustments) and found a 94% success rate based on the daily reported symptoms of the mother. The other group of infants received medication and saw an improvement of only 38%. This study was repeated in 1999 and found the same results.
How does chiropractic care treat these problems?
The short answer is it doesn’t. Chiropractic care is focused on the healthy alignment of the spine and the impact it has on your baby’s nervous system and its ability to function effectively. Why would infants develop dysfunction in the spine? Birth, no matter how baby was born, can be traumatic for babies and create misalignments in their spine which is what chiropractors check for and correct with gently adjustments. How well your baby’s spine and nervous system functions can help establish overall health in your child, not to mention parents’ well-being and connection with their newborn. Chiropractors can also offer advice on how to help get gas and burbs out, tricks on feeding, and how to help comfort a child in the first 3 months postpartum. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out!
Dr. Tessa van Leeuwen-Tyler is a local chiropractor that specialized in prenatal and pediatric care. Head over to her website https://drtessa.weebly.com/ to learn more.