Chiropractic Care for Pediatric
How to Help Your Baby Overcome Colic Naturally
If you are a new parent with a colicky baby, you may feel frustrated and exhausted by the constant crying, sleepless nights, and lack of solutions. You may have tried everything from changing formulas to using gripe water, but nothing seems to work. You may have been told by your pediatrician that colic is normal and that your baby will outgrow it eventually, but you wonder if there is a better way.
You are not alone, and this blog is here to help you! We will share with you the real causes of colic and how you can help your baby heal naturally with chiropractic care. You will learn how to calm your baby’s nervous system, improve their digestion, and enhance their development.
What is Colic and How Does It Affect Your Baby?
Colic is a condition that affects about 25% of babies, causing them to cry uncontrollably for more than three hours a day, three days a week, for more than three weeks. Colic usually starts around two weeks of age and lasts until about three or four months.
Colic is different from normal crying because it is inconsolable and unpredictable. Your baby may cry for no apparent reason, even when they are fed, changed, and comforted. They may also show signs of discomfort, such as arching their back, clenching their fists, pulling their legs up, or turning red in the face. Colic can disrupt your baby’s sleep patterns and affect their growth and development.
What Causes Colic and How Can You Prevent It?
The conventional medical view is that colic is caused by gas, reflux, or immature digestion. However, these are only symptoms of a deeper problem: an overstressed nervous system.
Your baby’s nervous system controls everything in their body, from breathing and heartbeat to digestion and immunity. When your baby’s nervous system is stressed, it can cause inflammation, mucus production, muscle tension, and pain. This can affect your baby’s ability to eat, digest, sleep, and soothe themselves.
One of the main sources of stress for your baby’s nervous system is birth trauma. Birth trauma can occur during pregnancy or delivery, especially if there are interventions such as forceps, vacuum, or c-sections. These can cause physical injury or misalignment in your baby’s spine, skull, or jaw, affecting the nerves that supply the inner ear, the throat, and the digestive organs.
Another source of stress for your baby’s nervous system is environmental factors such as toxins, allergens, sugar, and dairy. These can trigger inflammation and mucus production in your baby’s body, making them more prone to infections and allergies.
How Chiropractic Care Can Help Your Baby Heal Naturally
Chiropractic care is a safe and natural way to help your baby overcome colic. It works by:
- Restoring alignment and function: Chiropractic adjustments gently correct the misalignment in your baby’s spine, skull, or jaw, relieving the pressure on the nerves that affect the inner ear, the throat, and the digestive organs. This allows the fluid to drain properly from the eustachian tube, reducing the risk of infection and inflammation. It also improves the function of the digestive organs, reducing gas and reflux.
- Balancing the nervous system: Chiropractic adjustments also restore the communication between the brain and the body, calming down the stress response and reducing inflammation and mucus production. This enhances the body’s natural healing abilities and improves overall health and well-being.
At Radiant Life Chiropractic, we use Neurological INSiGHT Scans to measure stress, tension, inflammation, and misalignment in your baby’s upper neck. This area is often affected by birth trauma and can affect the Vagus Nerve, a vital nerve that controls the “rest and digest” functions of the body. By using these scans, we can identify the root cause of your baby’s colic and provide customized care to help them heal naturally.
You have the power to make informed decisions for your baby’s health. Colic may seem overwhelming but with chiropractic care you can break the cycle and provide your baby with lasting relief and a healthier future. Our goal is to empower you with the knowledge and tools to activate your baby’s natural healing abilities.
What You Need to Know About Chronic Ear Infections
If your child suffers from chronic ear infections, you may be wondering what causes them and how to prevent them. Chronic ear infections, or chronic otitis media, happen when fluid, swelling, and inflammation block the eustachian tube, the passage that connects the middle ear to the throat. This leads to pressure and pain in the ear, and sometimes fever and hearing loss.
The Root Causes of Your Child’s Ear Troubles There are several factors that can contribute to chronic ear infections, such as:
- Poor alignment and drainage: When the spine, skull, and jaw are out of alignment, they can create tension and inflammation in the nerves and muscles that affect the inner ear. This can impair the drainage of fluid from the eustachian tube, creating a breeding ground for bacteria and viruses.
- Stress and inflammation: When the spine is misaligned, it can interfere with the communication between the brain and the body. This can trigger a stress response that increases inflammation and mucus production in the body, making it harder to fight off infections.
- Environmental triggers: Exposure to toxins, allergens, sugar, and dairy can worsen the inflammation and mucus production in the body, as well as weaken the immune system.
Why Antibiotics and Natural Remedies Are Not Enough
Many parents resort to antibiotics and fever reducers to treat their child’s ear infections. However, these medications only mask the symptoms and do not address the underlying cause. They can also have negative side effects, such as disrupting the gut flora and lowering the immune system’s ability to fight future infections. Natural remedies like supplements and essential oils may offer some relief, but they are not effective in correcting the misalignment that causes chronic ear infections.
At Radiant Life Chiropractic, “The Posture Doc”, we use Neurological INSiGHT Scans to measure stress, tension, inflammation, and misalignment in your child’s upper neck. This area is often affected by birth interventions like forceps, vacuum, and c-sections, which can create physical trauma that leads to chronic ear infections. By using these scans, we can identify the root cause of your child’s ear troubles and provide customized care to help them heal naturally.
