Chiropractic and colic

If you’re a parent out there helping your child who is dealing with colic, you know it can be EXHAUSTING. Long hours awake trying to comfort your child is physically, mentally, and emotionally draining. Sometimes it may feel all for nothing as your child continues to cry no matter what you do. Many people don’t know that chiropractic can help kiddos suffering from colic.

First, what is colic? Colic occurs when a child cries often for “no apparent reason”. They aren’t sick, they aren’t injured, they just seem to cry excessively. There doesn’t appear to be any known cause for their crying.

As pediatric chiropractors, what we find is that colic is often associated with birth trauma. The more difficult the birth, the more interventions used, the more likely a child is to suffer from colic. Birth trauma can lead to damaged structures in the top of the neck as well as excessive stress on your child’s nervous system as they transition to the world outside the womb. Their sympathetic (fight or flight) system becomes fully engaged and the neurological structures in their upper neck can become dysregulated due to birth trauma. With an overactive fight or flight system, your child’s nervous system gets overwhelmed. As a young kiddo, they can’t run or fight so their body does what it knows how to do best which is cry. So they cry, and cry, and cry excessively.

So how can chiropractors help? We focus on helping your child activate their parasympathetic (rest and digest") system as well as restore proper structure and function to any areas damaged during the birthing process. Your child’s body and nervous system are incredibly pliable and adaptable and able to heal and respond well to care. So, don’t fight this battle alone. Find a pediatric chiropractor near you to help support your child through this difficult time so you can enjoy these early memories!