There is nothing in life anticipated more than the arrival of a new baby into our families. Unfortunately, for some babies, their arrival into this world is not so joyous. It is dampened by infantile colic, which happens in 20-40% of all births.
This condition is characterized by persistent, violent crying spells, irritability, abdominal pain and dissention. It is different from normal crying because even after the infant’s physiological needs are met, the crying continues. All parents of a colicky baby would agree that it is a difficult time for their child and even harder for them. The feeling of helplessness can be overwhelming and to see the amount of suffering in their child’s eyes is heartbreaking.
Three weeks ago, we had a newborn present in our office that had been colicky since her birth 3 months previous. The baby could not sleep comfortably and was overcome by paroxysms of crying that would last for hours. To help her sleep, the mother held her against her while sitting in a chair for hours and hours on end.
At our office, we took her history, did our Chiropractic analysis and tested her nervous system and spine. She was subluxated at the level of her brainstem at C1; the nerves that control digestion were being compromised. Her spine was lightly adjusted and sent home to heal. Within the following 3 days the baby was able to sleep for 3 hours, a stretch that was inconceivable a few days previous. Within a week the baby was sleeping 5 hours a night and the crying reduced substantially. Now 3 weeks later the baby is sleeping almost 7 hours a night and the crying has almost subsided to a normal amount. It has brought a lot of peace to the family.
In 1989, a study was published on effectiveness of Chiropractic care for Infantile Colic. Conducted in Denmark, there were 316 infants in the study, with the first examination and adjustment occurring at a median age of 5.7 weeks. The babies in the study were considered to have moderate to severe colic, averaging 5.2 hours of persistent crying per day. In this study 51% of the infants had prior unsuccessful treatment by a medical doctor, with 83% of them having received drugs with an unsuccessful outcome.
The study reported successful results under Chiropractic care in 94% of children following a 2-week adjustment protocol. In conclusion, the authors stated “the results of this study suggested that spinal adjustments of the vertebral column in infants with infantile colic, constitutes an effective treatment.”