For both mother and baby, infantile colic gives them something to cry about!

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Your chiropractor understands that when a child is inconsolable, it's not only the child who suffers. A colicky infant can easily affect the psychological, emotional and physical health of the entire family. This is why chiropractors urge parents to seek immediate care if the infant is exhibiting signs of colic. According to the medical literature, infantile colic is diagnosed by the rule of three: crying for more than three hours per day, for more than three days per week, and for longer than three weeks in a month for an infant who is well-fed and healthy. Medical experts have yet to come to a consensus regarding the cause. One of the most common theories is that the infant is having digestive difficulties, including excessive gas or reflux.

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Chiropractors on the other hand suggest that we look to the spine. Natural childbirth can be traumatic for the immature spine, with the neck and head experiencing a great degree of compression, rotation, extension and traction.

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When treating an infant, your chiropractor examines the child's spine, locates areas that do no appear to be aligned and/or moving properly, and then applies gentle pressure to reestablish proper mechanics for the involved vertebrae. The result: happier babies, and happier parents.

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Research supports the use of chiropractic care for babies who are experiencing the symptoms of infantile colic. Often, only a few adjustments are needed to produce dramatic results.

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Case & Study: A 7- week old infant presented with medically diagnosed colic that was persistent since birth. Symptoms included reflux and disturbed sleep. Vertebral subluxation complex patterns were noted in the spine of the baby. In less than three weeks of treatments, this infant achieved complete resolution with chiropractic adjustments to the spine.

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In yet another study, 316 infants with moderate to severe colic (average 5.2 hours of crying per day) were treated, and their responses to care were reported by their mothers in a prospective survey. Ninety-four percent of the children showed a satisfactory response with an average of only three treatments within two weeks. One-fourth of these infants showed great improvement after the first chiropractic adjustment!

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It's also important to note here that none of chiropractors delivering the care in the studies were claiming to be treating colic. They were adjusting the infants who were exhibiting colicky symptoms!

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So next time you hear someone complaining about their baby's incessant crying, mention to them that chiropractic care may be able to help!

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Chiropractic Care has also helped babies with constipation, acid reflux, digestive issues & much more than may not be colic related as well.