Infant with Colic and Reflux Improved Following Chiropractic – A Case Study

Published in the April 16, 2012 issue of the Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health is a case study documenting the improvement of colic and acid reflux in an infant who was previously not responding to medical care.

Quoting other authorities, the authors of the study offer the definition of colic as “crying and or fussing for more than three hours a day, on three or more days per week, for three weeks or more in infants less than three months of age.” They also report that feeding and sleeping problems often accompany infants suffering from colic. It is estimated that colic affects between 10 to 40 percent of the infant population.

The study authors also report that according to the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition Guidelines, gastroesophageal reflux is defined as, “…the passive passage of gastric contents in the esophagus without any implication to its etiology. The most frequent manifestation seen in infants is regurgitation or vomiting.”

In this study a one-month-old male infant with reflux and colic was brought to a chiropractor for a consultation. He had been previously diagnosed with colic and reflux by his primary care physician. The infant had suffered with reflux since birth which would cause him to scream and cry after every feeding. It was noted that the infant was vomiting 12 to 18 times per day. As a result, the infant was not sleeping well. The medical doctor prescribed Zantac twice a day which had no noticeable effect on the infant boy’s problems.

A chiropractic examination was performed resulting in the diagnosis of multiple vertebral subluxation being present. A subluxation is when one or more of the bones of the spine (vertebrae) move out of position and create pressure on, or irritate spinal nerves. This pressure or irritation on the nerves causes those nerves to malfunction and interfere with the signals traveling over those nerves resulting in an alteration of body function.

Chiropractic care was initiated using specific forms of chiropractic adjustments to correct the infant’s vertebral subluxations. The results of this study documented that by the third visit, the volatility of the vomiting had decreased. Additionally, it was reported that the screaming and crying fits had decreased and the infant boy was able to sleep for longer periods of time. By the third week, he was eating more per feeding. By the end of the third week, the boy was vomiting only three times per day, had eliminated the colic crying symptoms, and was sleeping for six and a half hours at a time.

Office Hours:

Monday, Wednesday: 10:00am-6:00pm
Tuesday: 4:00pm-7:00pm
Thursday: Closed
Friday: 10:00am-5:00pm
Saturday: 9:30am-1:00pm
Sunday: Closed

Call Us Text Us
Skip to content