colic
Colic: Chiropractic can help
Colic is defined
as an unexplainable and uncontrollable crying in babies from
0 to 3 months old, more than 3 hours a day, more than 3 days
a week, for 3 weeks or more, usually in the afternoon and
evening hours. The
incidence is thought to be about 22.5%. Colic
places babies at a high risk for child abuse, including CNS
damage or death from shaken baby syndrome.
A recent study in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiologic Therapeutics (1) has
concluded, "Spinal manipulation is effective in relieving infantile colic". For
a period of two weeks, half of the subjects underwent chiropractic spinal manipulation,
while the other half received the drug dimethicone. All of the adjusted babies
stayed in the study, while only 64% of the dimethicone babies completed the
two-week study. In the course of the study, the children being adjusted
saw a 67% reduction in crying and the drug therapy group saw only a 38% reduction
in crying. The mean number of adjustments given during the two-week study
was 3.8.
One might question the effect of the dropouts from the drug group. The authors
commented on this as follows: "By excluding data from the dropouts, we are
excluding more severe cases from the dimethicone group, and this has the effect
of making that group appear better than it actually was. Thus we are introducing
a serious bias against showing a positive effect of spinal manipulation,
and despite this, the manipulation group did significantly better."
The findings of this report echo the results of another recent report entitled "The
efficacy of chiropractic spinal adjustments ments as a treatment protocol in
the management of infantile colic" by Mercer and Cook of South Africa.
Thirty infants from the general public between the ages of 0-8 weeks were
randomly divided into two treatment groups. All participating infants
were diagnosed as suffering from infantile colic by pediatrician before inclusion
into the study. The infants were allocated into the placebo or the experimental
group according to the random sampling technique.
The results obtained from the study demonstrated a significant difference
in the response to treatment by the experimental group as opposed to the
control group. Complete resolution of symptoms was found by 93% of
the infants within the two-week treatment period with a maximum of six treatments.
In addition, no recurrence of the infantile colic was observed in any experimental
infant between cessation of treatment and the follow-up interview one month
later.
Similar results have also been found in a study of 316 children where a satisfactory
result occurred within 2 weeks in 94% of the cases receiving chiropractic care.
51% of these infants had prior, unsuccessful treatment, usually drug therapy
(83%). (2) In yet another study of
132 infant's with colic, 91% of the parents reported an improvement, which
occurred after an average of two to three manipulations, and one week after
the treatment started. (3)
References:
1. Wiberg
JMM, Nordsteen J, Nilsson N. The
Short-Term Effect of Spinal Manipulation in the Treatment
of Infantile Colic: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial
with a Blinded Observer J Manipulative
Physiol Ther 1999 (Oct); 22 (8): 517-522
2. Klougart
N, Nilsson N, Jacobsen J Infantile
Colic Treated by Chiropractors: A Prospective Study of
316 Cases J Manipulative Physiol Ther
1989 (Aug); 12 (4): 281-8~
3. Nilsson
N Infant
Colic and Chiropractic Eur J Chiropr
1985; 33 (4): 264-265
Colic and Chiropractic
Colic is a disorder in which an infant has
episodes of uncontrollable crying, which often occurs at
a predictable times of day or night. However, some infants
cry almost incessantly. About 10-20% of infants less than
4 months of age suffer from infantile colic. (1) Although
colic is not detrimental to an infant's health, it can place
tremendous stress on the family.
While colic has been blamed on too much gas in the intestine, dietary problems
and birth trauma (2) the precise
cause of colic is not known today. Researchers have investigated a wide
variety of therapies, including formula changes, pharmacotherapy and infant
positioning maneuvers, but study results have been conflicting, controversial
and inconclusive. At present, behavioral management, supportive counseling
and parental reassurance are the mainstays of treatment. However, no effective
cure for this disorder is known. (3)
However, research is showing that chiropractic care can help. Recently
a randomized clinical trial (RCT) by Wiberg et al. has concluded "Spinal manipulation
is effective in relieving infantile colic." (4) The
research team enrolled infants who were diagnosed with infantile colic. For
a period of 2 weeks, half of the subjects underwent chiropractic spinal manipulation,
while the other half received the drug dimethicone. "From trial day 5
onward the manipulation group did significantly better that the dimethicone
group," according to the report. Specifically, in the course of the 12 days
of the study, the children receiving chiropractic adjustments saw a 67% reduction
in crying and the drug group saw a 38% reduction in crying. The mean number
of adjustments given during the 2 week study was 3.8.
This report adds to a growing body of scientific research that supports the
efficacy of chiropractic care for children with colic. (5-9) In
a prospective study of 316 children a satisfactory result occurred within 2
weeks in 94% of the cases receiving chiropractic care. 51% of these infants
had prior, unsuccessful treatment, usually drug therapy (83%). (10) In
another study of 132 infant's with colic, 91% of the parents reported an improvement,
which occurred after an average of two to three manipulations, and one week
after the treatment started. (11)
As research indicates, chiropractic care for the correction of vertebral subluxation
may play an important and effective role in the cessation of infantile colic.
References:
1. Becker K, Pauli-Pott
U, Beckmann D Infantile
colic as maternal reason of consulting a pediatrician:
characteristics of mother and child Prax
Kinderpsychol Kinderpsychiatr. 1998 (Nov); 47 (9): 625-40
2. Michailov MK, Akberov RF. X-ray
symptomatology and differential diagnosis of functional obstruction of the
digestive tract in children induced by birth injuries of the spine and spinal
cord Radiol Diagn (Berl) 1989; 30 (6): 669-74
3. Balon AJ Management
of infantile colic Am Fam Physician 1997 (Jan); 55
(1): 235-42, 245-6
4. Wiberg JM, Nordsteen J, Nilsson N. The
Short-term Effect of Spinal Manipulation in the Treatment of Infantile Colic:
A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial with a Blinded Observer J
Manipulative Physiol Ther 1999 (Oct); 22 (8): 517-522
5. Pluhar GR; Schobert PD; Vertebral
subluxation and colic: A case study J Chiro Research and
Clin Invest 1991; 7 (3): 75-6
6. Killinger, LZ, Azad A. Chiropractic care
of infantile colic: A case study J Clin Chiro Peds 1998; 3
(1): 203-6
7. Van Loon, M. Colic with projectile
vomiting: A case study J Clin Chiro Peds 1998; 3
(1): 207-10
8. Sheader, WE Chiropractic management
of an infant experiencing breastfeeding difficulties and colic: A case study J
Clin Chiro Ped 1999; 4 (1): 245-7
9. Cuhel JM; Powell M. Chiropractic management
of an infant patient experiencing colic and difficulty breastfeeding: A case
report J Clin Chiro Ped 1997;. 2(2): 150-4
10. Klougart N, Nilsson N, Jacobsen J Infantile
Colic Treated by Chiropractors: A Prospective Study of 316 Cases J
Manipulative Physiol Ther 1989 (Aug); 12 (4): 281-8
11. Nilsson Infant
Colic and Chiropractic Eur J Chiropr 1985; 33
(4): 264-265
Colic Linked With Allergy
A just-published study confirms
what many parents and chiropractors have long suspected: colic is associated
with allergy. Researchers in Finland tracked 116 infants
for one week at seven weeks of age, and for one week at 12
weeks of age. The study revealed that 38% of children who
showed signs of allergies at 2 years of age were significantly
more fussy during their seventh week and were more likely
to have a colic-type cry during their twelfth week, compared
with allergy-free babies.
Kalliomäki M, Laippala P, Korvenranta H, Kero P, Isolauri
E. Extent
of fussing and colic type crying preceding atopic disease Arch
Dis Child 2001 (Apr); 84 (4): 349-50
Colicky babies may have trouble digesting juice
This study
found that so-called "colicky" infants
were more likely to suffer from gas and sleep problems after
drinking apple juice, which contains high concentrations
of the sugars sorbitol and fructose. Additionally, infants
with these digestive difficulties were more likely to have
tried fruit juice at an earlier age than other babies who
had no digestive problems
Association
Between Infantile Colic and Carbohydrate Malabsorption From Fruit Juices
in Infancy Pediatrics 2002 (May); 109 (5): 797-805
More
Resources on this topic
The
Colic Page @ Chiro.Org
Read
a great, well referenced article on colic
View
Weaning Guidelines and Baby's First Foods