Understanding Infant Colic
Colic is generally defined as uncomfortable crying in a baby where the infant becomes inconsolable for hours and even days. In most cases, colic is the type crying in a baby which goes beyond the arbitrary threshold. In some instances, it can appear consistent with actual underlying health causes.
Do not be confused when people refer to a baby as ‘colicky’ when they are being fussy for no apparent reason. If a baby is excessively crying and cannot be consoled by normal soothing techniques as well as feeding or changing their nappies, that’s the only time you can suppose that the infant is ‘colicky’.
How can you Tell if your Baby Has Colic?
Of course, we all know that babies cry. As a matter of fact, some of them cry for no reason at all. However, it is roughly estimated that about 10-20% of infants are affected by colic.
If you’re a new parent, you might find yourself questioning whether you should start worrying about your baby’s incessant cries. Here are the questions you should ask yourself:
- Are the cries of your baby piercing and loud?
- Does your baby flex its legs?
- Is your baby’s stomach tense?
- Is your baby around three weeks old?
- Is your baby clenching its fingers into fists?
Babies around three weeks old are usually the ones that are affected by colic. Sometimes, they suffer from this condition for months.
What are the Causes of Colic?
In general, there are no known causes of colic. There are professionals in the medical field that believe that this is caused by a faulty digestive system. One of the main symptoms of colic is the pain caused by the relentless crying of the baby. On the other hand, there are some who believe that an infant colic is caused by drinking incompatible formula milk.
There’s a new research in the field that relate colic to an infant’s overly sensitive temperament. Such study also states that colic may have something to do with a baby’s lack of ability to tolerate their environment’s stimulation, typically due to an underdeveloped nervous system.
Such explanation is coherent with infants that are easily startled and cry for long periods of time. These babies seemingly have difficulty adapting to their environment. However, as these babies grow and develop, they start to better cope with the stimulants around them.
How can you Treat Colic?
Since there is still no exactly identified cause for colic, it can be quite difficult to treat the condition. However, there are some treatments that relieve the symptoms, including medication, dietary changes, baby positioning and even certain remedies from a baby chiropractor.
A lot of parents initially dismiss the treatment when they hear that a baby chiropractor will provide the solution for their baby’s colic. However, there’s a research suggesting that one can get incredible results from pediatric chiropractor care. There are actually roughly 94% of babies who showed relief and improvement from chiropractor care.
Treating Infant Colic with Paediatric Chiropractic Care
Some may think that pediatric chiropractor care may be radical for babies with colic. This is completely understandable as the common belief is that chiropractors only “crack backs.” So, how can a pediatric chiropractor possible provide relief for an infant’s colic?
Baby chiropractic treatment is conservative, gentle and highly successful, especially for infants with colic symptoms. A research published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics found that colic in babies can be effectively treated with spinal manipulation.
Infants with colic in this study were placed in two groups. One group was given an anti-gas medication while the other received paediatric chiropractic treatment. The babies who received medication revealed a 38% decrease in the amount of crying as observed by their mums. In contrast, the babies who received chiropractic treatment decreased in the amount of crying by 67%.
Why is Paediatric Chiropractic Care Helpful to Infants with Colic?
- Baby chiropractors do not simply treat symptoms; they treat the underlying cause of your child’s colic.
- These days, chiropractic treatments are natural and safe, even for babies!
- Chiropractic treatments are given to babies to promote proper nervous system function.
What does a Baby Chiropractor do During a Treatment Session?
There are infant chiropractors who specialise in restoring nerve function and movement to joints that are fixated or locked up. What the chiropractor dies is to gently lay the baby face down on their mom’s chest. There, the pediatric chiropractor examines the joints and bones that make up the spine.
The using their hand, the chiropractic doctor applies light impulses to the areas of the child’s spine that are fixated or locked up. The process is a gentler and more sophisticated version of cracking your knuckles to release the gas and stiffness in the joints of your fingers.
Baby chiropractic treatment relieves the pain caused by irritated nerves and at the same time, it restores motion to the infant’s joints. Keep in mind that irritated nerves may be directly related to disturbances to the digestive system. In most instances, babies who undergo pediatric chiropractor treatment experience immediate relief, resting on their mum’s arms feeling completely satisfied.