Colicky Baby? It Might Be the Spine
A Literature Review of Chiropractic Management of Infantile Colic and More Resources for Parents
When I was a baby, I had 2 full years of colic. From my own study later in life, I put the pieces together that the cause of my condition was a combination of my first vaccines, as they all damage the gut and nervous system, as well as being given formula instead of breastmilk. My first experience earthside was gut-wrenching pain, and my parents were struggling to figure out what to do. My dad would drive me in the car and put me on the rocking dryer to help soothe me.
When my daughter was born in 2011, she also developed symptoms of colic, and I was surprised. She was exclusively breastfed and born at home with zero interventions. Right away, my mind went to food. I had made myself a massive amount of purple cabbage soup to get me through my birth recovery time and was eating it multiple times a day. I soon figured out that my girl was not yet ready for anything cruciferous. I had to cut out broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, garlic, and onions to prevent her little belly from bloating and my own tired arms from rocking her all night. Exercises to pump her legs, valerian root tea and homoeopathic allium and nux vomica worked the best for her, while I was figuring out my diet via elimination.
In her case, it was quick-lived, thank the heavens.
When I opened my store in 2012, I first focused on helping other families with their babies and saw the same issues with colic again and again. I was able to whittle down causes to one or multiple of the following issues: vaccination, formula feeding, improper latch when breastfeeding, and traumatic births affecting the spine. Based on their history, I was able to help many babies overcome colic. I want to share some of this information with you here, so you can help your baby or a new family if they are going through this overwhelming experience.
Colic Treatment by Chiropractic Adjustment
Case 1:
A 6-week-old female infant crying almost continuously since birth, which the mother described as frequent daily crying throughout the day and night. The infant slept approximately 3 hours a night and had about 15 minutes of rest 3–4 times per day, or brief periods of feeding or riding in a car.
Her pediatrician diagnosed the infant with infantile colic, and the mother brought the infant for chiropractic evaluation after a nurse suggested that adjustments might help.
After a single adjustment, the child rested for 11 hours during the following 24-hour period and slept for 9 uninterrupted hours during the night. The infant awakened smiling and laughing.
Case 2:
A 29-year-old woman was treated for the first 4 months of her pregnancy until she discovered she was pregnant. At that time, she discontinued all medications except Zyrtec, which she continued throughout her pregnancy.
The child was diagnosed with acid reflux as a result of crying day and night, unrelieved by normal parenting behaviours. Parents reported the infant was prescribed Zantac. On entrance to the office 3 weeks later, the parents stated the crying had progressed to about 14 hours per day despite these interventions.
After 4 consecutive daily adjustments, crying was reduced to 7 hours; uninterrupted sleep increased to 5 hours (from 3 hours before care), and total sleep in a 24-hour period increased to 13 hours (from 5 hours before care).
After 9 adjustments over 2 weeks, the infant was crying an average of only 2 hours per day, was sleeping 5 hours per night, and was averaging 14 hours of total sleep per day. The baby no longer screamed but smiled and remained awake without crying for long periods and responded appropriately to normal parenting efforts. On subsequent follow-up, the infant required fewer adjustments as needed. However, the previously reported colicky behaviours, such as inconsolable crying and clenching of fists, did not return.
This is a randomized controlled trial that took place in a private chiropractic practice and the National Health Service health visitor nurses in a suburb of Copenhagen, Denmark.
Changes in daily hours of crying were recorded in a colic diary.
Hours of crying reduced by 1 hour in the Dimethicone group compared with 2.4 hours in the chiropractic group by day 4–7. On days 8 through 11, crying was reduced by 1 hour for the Dimethicone group, compared with 2.7 hours in the chiropractic group.
In the 12 days of the study, the children under chiropractic care had a 67% reduction in crying, while the group treated with drugs had a 38% reduction in crying. The mean number of adjustments given during the two-week study was 3.8.
From the popular press:
“Chiropractic Care Conquers Colic”
December 1998 issue of Country Living’s Healthy Living, Page 53.
An inconsolable newborn finds comfort after six sessions with a chiropractor: Nicholas Roe tells the family story.
Following the first adjustment, the child was more reactive and colicky, but mom followed the instructions given to her by the DC, and the baby calmed right down. “We had five more sessions with Stephen. Each lasted 20 minutes, and Lucy (the infant) really seemed to enjoy them. It completely changed what was fast becoming a nightmare.
A six-week-old baby with colic.
International Chiropractic Pediatric Association Newsletter, June 1997.
A six-week-old baby with colic who could not sleep for more than one hour at a time and could not hold food down was brought in for chiropractic care.
A subluxation at C1 was corrected. After the first adjustment, the infant fell asleep before leaving the office and slept for 8 hours straight. The baby gained two pounds in one week.
The child was seen three times per week for two months, thereafter once a week. The colic symptoms never returned.
Chiropractic management of an infant experiencing breastfeeding difficulties and colic: a case study.
Schaeder, W.E.
Journal of Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics, Vol. 4, No. 1, 1999.
This is the case of a 15-day-old emaciated male infant experiencing an inability to breastfeed and colic since birth.
The infant was irritable, cried continuously, and vomited after feeding. The mother reported the infant was given a Hepatitis B vaccination within hours after birth. The pediatrician prescribed formula, but the baby reacted poorly to it.
During the examination, the infant continuously cried, with high-pitched screams and full-body shaking. The child had a distended abdomen with excessive bowel gas.
After the first adjustment (to C1), a significant reduction of crying, screaming, and shaking occurred. On the second visit, vomiting before and after feeding had ceased. The infant reported complete remission of abdominal findings. The baby had been successfully breastfeeding since the last visit. No adjustment was needed.
The baby had been symptom-free for 5 days and received a second Hepatitis B vaccination. All symptoms returned to a severe degree, plus a low-grade fever. Adjustment was given, but there was no reduction of symptoms. The patient was adjusted three more times over the next week with minimal reduction in symptoms. By the eighth visit, eight days after receiving the vaccination, the child began to show marked improvement, and by the 19th visit, no symptoms were noted, and no adjustment was given. Seven days after vaccination, there was a return of all symptoms; by the 13th visit, symptoms were resolved.
Dr. Koren comments: the high-pitched screaming the child exhibited is a neurologic cry (cri-encephalique) which is due to irritation of the central nervous system. Children who react this way should not be vaccinated again. The MD who vaccinated this child did not follow protocol. The author should have discussed the possibility of vaccine damage with the mother so she could make an informed choice regarding the vaccination of her child.
Colic with projectile vomiting: a case study
Loon, Meghan.
Journal of Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics, Vol. 3 No. 1, 1998, 207–210.
This is the case of a three-month-old male medically diagnosed with colic and projectile vomiting increasing in severity over the previous two months despite medical intervention.
Care consisted of chiropractic spinal adjustments and craniosacral therapy, with the resolution of all presenting symptoms within a two-week treatment period. Proposed cranial and spinal etiologies are discussed, as well as the connection between birth trauma and non-spinal symptoms.
Chiropractic care of infantile colic: a case study
Wiberg LZ and Azoed A.
Journal of Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics, Vol. 3 No. 1, 1998, pp. 203–206.
This is the study of an 11-month-old boy with severe, complicated, late-onset infantile colic. He was unable to consume solid foods for a period of four months and suffered from severe constipation, muscular weakness, and lack of coordination. The baby was unable to crawl, stand, or walk and was greatly unresponsive to his surroundings.
The child had been under medical care at the Rochester Medical Clinic, with no improvement in his condition.
Following upper cervical specific chiropractic adjustments for a subluxation of the first cervical vertebra (atlas), there were immediate improvements in muscle strength, coordination, responsiveness, and ability to consume solid foods without vomiting.
Systemic effects of spinal lesions
Bissonette MS, DeBoer KF.
In Principles and Practice of Chiropractic, 2nd edition, Appleton and Lange, East Norwalk, CT, 1992.
The authors review various clinical presentations associated with spinal dysfunction, including gastrointestinal disturbances, cardiac arrhythmia, colic, constipation, dysmenorrhea, high blood pressure, low blood sugar and hyperinsulinism, migraine, pulmonary diseases, ulcers, and other visceral disorders.
Chiropractic management of an infant patient experiencing colic and difficulty breastfeeding: a case report.
Cuhel JM, Powell M.
Journal of Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics, 1997 2(2): 150–154.
A 12-day-old infant was brought to the chiropractor.
Subluxations were found at the occiput and atlas. The infant showed visible signs of distress on palpation of the right cervical soft tissue structures.
A chiropractic adjustment was performed to the atlas, and the mother was able to breastfeed the infant at the office immediately following the adjustment, with no problems nursing on the right breast.
However, additional chiropractic adjustments met with limited success. The mother was advised that the injections of Depo-Provera were interfering with breastfeeding and bowel function. She did not receive the next injection as scheduled. Shortly thereafter, breastfeeding and bowel function normalized.
Seventy-three chiropractors adjusted the spines of 316 infants (median age 5.7 weeks at initial examination) with moderate to severe colic (average 5.2 hours of crying per day).
The mothers used a diary to record crying and the infant’s response to care. Ninety-four percent of the children showed a satisfactory response within 14 days of chiropractic care (usually three visits). After four weeks, the improvements were maintained.
One-fourth of these infants showed great improvement after the very first chiropractic adjustment. The remaining infants all showed improvement within 14 days.
Note: 51% of the infants had undergone prior unsuccessful treatment, usually drug therapy
Infantile colic and chiropractic
Nilsson N.
European Journal of Chiropractic 1985; 33 (4): 264–65.
In this study, a retrospective uncontrolled questionnaire of 132 infants with colic, 91% of the parents reported an improvement after an average of two to three adjustments and within one week of care.
Vertebral subluxation and colic: a case study
Wagner GR, Schoepp PD.
Journal of Chiropractic Research and Clinical Investigation 1991; 7:75–76.
A three-month-old female suffering from colic with resultant sleep interruption and appetite decrease received three adjustments with two weeks between adjustments. The areas adjusted were T7 and upper cervical area. Colic symptoms were relieved.
Chiropractic adjustments and infantile colic: a case study
Sheppard CA.
Proceedings of the Fourth National Conference on Chiropractic and Pediatrics. International Chiropractors Association. Arlington, VA 1994: 65–71.
This is the case story of a five-week-old male infant delivered with vacuum extraction.
Gas and flatulence were presented. The child was adjusted at C1 and T9, and his condition improved greatly after each adjustment.
Kinematic imbalances due to suboccipital strain in newborns
Biedermann H.J.
Manual Medicine 1992; 6:151–156.
Dr. Biedermann, at the time of this paper, had treated more than 600 babies for what he determined to be upper cervical subluxation.
135 infants were reviewed in this case series report whose upper cervical subluxation was associated with crying, loss of appetite, and other symptoms of CNS disorders. Other symptoms included swelling of one side of the face, asymmetric development of the skull and hips, crying when the mother tried to change the position of the baby, and extreme sensitivity of the neck to palpation.
Most patients in the series required one to three adjustments before returning to normal.
Upper cervical subluxation always produced symptoms; one session is sufficient in most cases. Manipulation of the occipito-cervical region leads to the disappearance of the syndrome. Some of the cases included:
Case #1: A 4-month-old girl who always slept on her left side; the left side of the neck was extremely sensitive to palpation, and left lateral flexion of the cervical spine was reduced. A single C1 adjustment corrected motor activity, and the child now has normal sleeping patterns.
Case #2: A 5-month-old boy with torticollis, reduced left arm use, and asymmetrical development of the skull. A single C1 adjustment and several months later, symmetrical development was noted.
Case #3: A 6-month-old girl who was colicky with retarded motor development and recurrent fever. Could not turn head to left. Within hours of her first adjustment, she spontaneously turned her head to the left. Her health returned to normal.
The side-effects of the chiropractic adjustment
Shaw A.
Chiropractic Pediatrics Vol. 1 No. 4 May 1995.
E.J., male age 4 months, suffered from uncontrolled crying and screaming during all waking hours for months.
There was an immediate resolution of behavior following the first adjustment of C0/C1.
On 5/1/91. To date (2/10/94), the child is a normal, healthy baby.
Birth trauma results in colic
Roux LL.
Chiropractic Pediatrics Vol. 2 No. 1, October, 1995.
This 9 ½ month old female child was diagnosed as colicky: paroxysmal abdominal pain and frantic crying. The child was adjusted C1 on the right side (using an adjusting instrument). T4–T5 was manually adjusted, and the sacrum was instrument adjusted. The following day, the mother reported that the infant had slept through the night, a consistent 12 hours, and woke up happy and playful.
Sources
Differential compliance instrument in the treatment of infantile colic: A report of two cases (JMPT record)
(ScienceDirect page for the same JMPT record)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S016147540234435X
The short-term effect of spinal manipulation in the treatment of infantile colic: A randomized controlled clinical trial with a blinded observer (JMPT abstract page)
https://www.jmptonline.org/article/S0161-4754%2899%2970003-5/abstract
(Free PDF copy found online, same PII shown on the PDF)
https://www.dcscience.net/Wiberg_et_al_1999.pdf
(Secondary index entry, useful for quick bibliographic confirmation)
https://reference.medscape.com/medline/abstract/10543581
Infantile colic treated by chiropractors: a prospective study of 316 cases (Europe PMC record)
https://europepmc.org/article/MED/2486187
Treatment of infants by chiropractors during the first year of life. Pattern of contact with the therapist (Ugeskr Laeger 1988, Europe PMC record)
https://europepmc.org/abstract/MED/3413855
(Another database record with the colic 73% detail in the abstract)
https://dbpop1.popline.org/node/315970
https://chiropracticessence.com/colic/
Alcantara, Joel, Joey D. Alcantara, and Junjoe Alcantara. “The Chiropractic Care of Infants with Colic: A Systematic Review of the Literature.” Explore: The Journal of Science and Healing, vol. 7, no. 3, May–June 2011, pp. 168–174. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.explore.2011.02.002.
Here is an article written by the amazing Dr. Jack Newman, who was a teacher of mine in naturopathic college (CCNM), that can be of some assistance.
Colic in the Breastfed Baby
Colic is one of the mysteries of nature. Nobody knows what it really is, but everyone has an opinion. In the typical situation, the baby starts to have crying periods about two to three weeks after birth. These occur mainly in the evening, and finally stop when the baby is about three months of age (occasionally older). When the baby cries, he is often inconsolable, though if he is walked, rocked or taken for a drive, he may settle temporarily. For a baby to be called colicky, it is necessary that he be gaining weight well and be otherwise healthy.
The notion of colic has been extended to include almost any fussiness or crying in the baby, and this may be valid since we do not really know what colic is. There is no treatment for colic, though many medications and behaviour strategies have been tried, without any proven benefit. It is admitted that everyone knows someone whose baby was cured of colic by a particular treatment. It is also admitted that almost every treatment seems to work—for a short time, anyhow.
The breastfeeding baby with colic
Aside from the colic that any baby may have, there are three known situations in the breastfed baby that may result in fussiness or colic. Once again, it is assumed that the baby is gaining adequately and that the baby is healthy.
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Feeding both breasts at each feeding
Human milk changes during a feeding. One of the ways in which it changes is that the amount of fat increases as the baby drains more milk from the breast. If the mother automatically switches the baby from one breast to the other during the feed, before the baby has “finished” the first side, the baby may get a relatively low amount of fat during the feeding. This may result in the baby getting fewer calories, and thus feeding more frequently. If the baby takes in a lot of milk (to make up for the reduced concentration of calories), he may spit up. Because of the relatively low fat content of the milk, the stomach empties quickly, and a large load of milk sugar (lactose) arrives in the intestine all at once. The protein which digests the sugar (lactase) may not be able to handle so much milk sugar at one time and the baby will have the symptoms of lactose intolerance—crying, gas, explosive, watery, green bowel movements. This may occur even during the feeding. These babies are not lactose intolerant. They have problems with lactose because of the sort of information women get about breastfeeding. This is not a reason to switch to lactose free formula.
a. Do not time feedings. Mothers all over the world have breastfed babies successfully without being able to tell time. Breastfeeding problems are greatest in societies where everyone has a watch and least where no one has a watch.
b. The mother should feed the baby on one breast, as long as the baby actually gets milk from the breast (see videos at www.thebirthden.com/Newman.html) until the baby comes off himself, or is asleep at the breast. If the baby feeds for a short time only, the mother can compress the breast (handout #15 Breast Compression) to keep the baby feeding, not just sucking. Please note that a baby may be on the breast for two hours, but may actually feed for only a few minutes. In that case the milk taken by the baby may still be relatively low in fat. This is the rationale for compressing the breast. If, after “finishing” on the first side, the baby still wants to feed, offer the other side. Do not prevent the baby from taking the other side if he is still hungry.
c. The next feeding, the mother should start the baby on the other breast in the same way.
d. The mother’s body will adjust quickly to the new method, and she will not become engorged or lop sided.
e. Just as there should be no “rule” for feeding both breasts at each feeding, there should be no rule for one breast per feeding. Let the baby finish on one breast (use compression to keep him feeding longer) but if he wants more, then offer the other side.
f. In some cases, it may be helpful to feed the baby two or more feedings on one side before switching over to the other side for two or more feedings.
g. This problem is made worse if the baby is not well latched on to the breast. A good latch is the key to easy breastfeeding.
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Overactive letdown reflex
A baby who gets too much milk too quickly, may become very fussy, very irritable at the breast and may be considered “colicky”. Typically, the baby is gaining very well. Typically, also, the baby starts nursing, and after a few seconds or minutes, starts to cough, choke or struggle at the breast. He may come off, and often, the mother’s milk will spray. After this, the baby frequently returns to the breast, but may be fussy and repeat the performance. He may be unhappy with the rapid flow, and impatient when the flow slows. This can be a very trying time for everyone. On rare occasions, a baby may even start refusing to take the breast after several weeks, typically around three months of age.
a. If you have not already done so, try feeding the baby one breast per feed. In some situations, feeding even two or three feedings on one breast before changing to the other breast may be helpful. If you experience engorgement on the unused breast, express just enough to feel comfortable.
b. Feed the baby before he is ravenous. Do not hold off the feeding by giving water (a breastfed baby does not need water even in very hot weather) or a pacifier. A ravenous baby will “attack” the breast and may cause a very active letdown reflex. Feed the baby as soon as he shows any sign of hunger. If he is still half asleep, all the better.
c. Feed the baby in a calm, relaxed atmosphere, if possible. Loud music, bright lights are not conducive to a good feeding.
d. Lying down to nurse sometimes works very well. If lying sideways to feed does not help, try lying flat, or almost flat, on your back with the baby lying on top of you to nurse. Gravity helps decrease the flow rate.
e. If you have time, express some milk (an ounce or so) before you feed the baby. Not the first thing to try.
f. The baby may dislike the rapid flow, but also become fussy when the flow slows too much. If you think the baby is fussy because the flow is too slow, it will help to compress the breast to keep up the flow (handout #15 Breast Compression).
g. This problem is made worse if the baby is not well latched on to the breast. A good latch is the key to easy breastfeeding.
h. On occasion giving the baby commercial lactase (the enzyme that metabolizes lactose), 2-4 drops before each feeding, relieves the symptoms. It is available without prescription, but fairly expensive, and works only occasionally.
i. A nipple shield may help, but use this only if nothing else has helped and only if you have got good help without any relief. This is a second last resort.
j. As a last resort, rather than switching to formula, give the baby your expressed milk by bottle.
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Foreign proteins in the mother’s milk
Sometimes, proteins present in the mother’s diet may appear in her milk and may affect the baby. The most common of these is cow’s milk protein. Other proteins have also been shown to be excreted into some mothers’ milk. The fact that these proteins and other substances appear in the mother’s milk is not usually a bad thing. Indeed, it is usually good, helping to desensitize your baby to these proteins. Ask about this if you have any questions.
Thus, in the treatment of the colicky breastfed baby, one step would be for the mother to stop taking dairy products or other foods, but only one type of food at a time. Dairy products include milk, cheese, yoghurt, ice cream and anything else that may contain milk. When the milk protein has been changed (denatured), as in cooking for example, there should be no problem. Ask if you have any questions.
If eliminating certain foods from the mother’s diet does not work, the mother can take pancreatic enzymes, starting with 1 capsule at each meal, to break down proteins in her intestines so that they cannot be absorbed into her body and appear in the milk.
Please note: Intolerance to milk protein has nothing to do with lactose intolerance, a completely different issue. Also, a mother who is lactose intolerant herself should also still breastfeed her baby.
Suggested method:
a. The mother should eliminate all milk products for 7-10 days.
b. If there has been no change, the mother can reintroduce milk products.
c. If there has been a change for the better, the mother can then slowly reintroduce milk products into her diet, if these are normally part of her diet. (There is no need to drink milk in order to make milk). Some babies tolerate absolutely no milk products in the mother’s diet. Most tolerate some. The mother will learn what amount of dairy products she can take without the baby reacting.
d. If there is concern about your calcium intake, calcium can be obtained without taking dairy products. But, 7-10 days off milk products will not cause any nutritional problems. Actually, evidence suggests that breastfeeding may protect the woman against the development of osteoporosis even if she does not take extra calcium. The baby will get all he needs.
e. The mother should be careful about eliminating too many things from her diet. Everyone will know someone whose baby got better when the mother stopped broccoli, beef, bananas, bread, etc. The mother may find that she is eating white rice only. Our diets are too complex to be sure exactly what, if anything, is affecting the baby.
Be patient, the problem usually gets better no matter what. Formula is not the answer, but, because of the more regular flow, some babies do improve on it. But formula is not breastmilk. In fact, the baby would also improve on breastmilk from the bottle because of the regularity of the flow. Even if nothing works, time usually helps. The days and nights may seem eternal, but the weeks will fly by.
For videos showing how to latch a baby on, how to know a baby is getting milk, how to use compression, go to
https://ibconline.ca/ (was previously: www.thebirthden.com/Newman.html)
Excellent breastfeeding support here: https://ibconline.ca/information-sheets/
Questions? (416) 813-5757 (option 3) or drjacknewman@sympatico.ca or my book Dr. Jack Newman’s Guide to Breastfeeding (called The Ultimate Breastfeeding Book of Answers in the USA)
Handout #2 Colic in the Breastfed Baby. Revised January 2005
Written by Jack Newman MD, FRCPC. © 2005
Weston Price Foundation Homemade Formula Recipes
The Weston A Price Foundation website has marvellous support to make your own homemade formula, if breastfeeding is not available, and avoid the toxic garbage available on the market today.
https://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/formula-homemade-baby-formula/
Here are the categories for ease of access.
If you have any other resources to share for new families, please share them with us in the comments!
Much love, ADV
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