Infant Colic

Is your child crying inconsolably? Do you feel helpless watching your child suffering from colic? Have all your attempts at coaxing and treating your child been in vain? Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT), a natural alternative, may be the answer for you.

Studies have shown:

• Osteopathic treatments show significant benefits in colic and improvement in sleeping.
• OMT is an effective adjunct therapy in relieving colic.

Infantile colic is characterized by fussing, irritability or crying in infants for 3 hours a day, for more than three days a week. Colic is seen in infants around 2 to 3 weeks old. It usually reaches its peak when the child is 2 months old and slowly starts to reduce by 3 months. Babies with colic are usually healthy and well-fed.

Causes
The cause of colic is not very clear. Some theories suggest that colic may occur due to indigestion, overfeeding, excessive anxiety, excitement, anger or fear in the house, or intolerance to certain foods or proteins found in formula.

Symptoms
Symptoms of colic include inconsolable, intense constant crying about the same time everyday usually during late afternoon or evening. Crying lasts for a few minutes to 3 hours per day and usually ends with passing lots of gas or stool. Crying may be associated with curling up of the legs, clenched fists and the belly may seem tense.

Diagnosis
A thorough physical examination will be done by your physician to determine if there are possible causes for your baby’s distress, such as a blockage in your baby’s intestines. However, lab tests and imaging are usually not required.

Treatment
Treatment depends on the cause and is generally a conservative approach.

• Osteopathic manipulative treatments (OMT) show significant benefits in colic and improvement in sleeping
• Homeopathic remedies are an alternative remedy to sooth a colicky baby.
• Probiotics are sometimes suggested to regain the digestive system’s normal flora.

For a list of articles supporting OMT, please click here.

Infants & Children

• Difficulty Breast-Feeding
• Infant Colic
• Plagiocephaly
• Otitis Media
• Torticollis
• Asthma
• ADHD