Over the Counter vs Natural Treatments for Colic

If you have had, or currently have, babies, one of the hardest most heart-wrenchingly painful things you can hear is your baby crying uncontrollably.

Especially when they wake up and you're stumbling blearily around the house trying to get them fed, hoping it's simply because they're hungry and not because they're constipated or colicky.

Colic is one of the biggest complaints I hear from new moms. Some patients say their pediatrician has recommended over-the-counter antacid medication for their colic-stricken baby.

Before we dive too far into why I think this is stupid, let's talk about what colic actually is and how to fix it.

What Is Colic?

Colic is estimated to affect about 25% of children in this country. The problem is that colic is just a label for a highly upset baby. If your baby cries for more than 3 hours, three days a week, for more than three weeks, they "have" colic.

Basically, if your baby cries for prolonged periods even when well fed and can't be soothed, they qualify for the label. Signs your child may have colic: a predictable crying pattern at a specific time of day, intense bouts of inconsolable crying, and a specific posture during the crying fit (knees pulled into the chest, fists clenched). Symptoms can start a few weeks after birth and usually subside by the 4th or 5th month.

My heart goes out to anyone who has dealt with colic for more than a few days, much less a few months.

Why Medication Is the Wrong Answer

Where the medical profession falls apart is when they see colic as just intestinal discomfort or "gas" and prescribe antacids or other medications that mask symptoms without fixing the cause.

The result of shrugging off the child's discomfort and reaching for medication is possibly setting that child up for a lifetime of intestinal complaints. I understand that every doctor and parent wants to find peace for the baby. But these medications have potentially horrible side effects: seizures, coma, constipation, diarrhea, vomiting, and difficulty breathing. Some of those side effects may be as bad as the original colic. The treatment ends up being worse than the disease.

There has to be another way. Finding the cause would be a great place to start.

The Two Main Causes of Colic

In my experience, there are two, possibly three, major causes of really horrible cases of colic.

Cause 1: Food sensitivities (formula or breastfeeding)

If you are feeding your child formula and they have colic, they are more than likely sensitive to one or more of the ingredients. If you are breastfeeding, the mother may be eating foods the baby is sensitive to. While this isn't a true food allergen, it may be causing the excessive gas and intestinal cramping.

The most common culprits: wheat, corn, dairy, soy, and sometimes nightshade vegetables. Understanding how food sensitivities develop makes it clear why these four show up so consistently, in adults and infants alike.

Cause 2: Birth trauma and nervous system irritation

Birth is one of the most traumatic processes we will experience in life. During the birth process the baby's head, neck, and spine are twisted, contorted, and compressed, possibly causing misalignments or subluxations of the spine. These subluxations can irritate the nervous system and produce all of the colic symptoms.

What to Try First

It's worth the effort to change up the formula or modify your diet as a breastfeeding mother, removing wheat, corn, dairy, and soy. And it's probably most helpful to make a trip or two to a chiropractor who knows how to use Applied Kinesiology and treat children.

Addressing food sensitivities and birth-related spinal irritation resolves most colic cases without medication, without side effects, and without setting up a lifetime of gut problems.

If you're in Frisco, Texas and dealing with a colicky baby who isn't responding to standard approaches, Applied Kinesiology can identify the food sensitivities and nervous system patterns driving the pattern.

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