As we learn more about infantile colic, protocols for treatment may change dramatically.
Several studies have suggested that infant colic may be related to migraine headaches rather than digestive issues. While the talking points below suggest a relationship between colic and migraine later in life, it’s not yet clear whether infants with colic are experiencing a migraine as a cause of their colic. They can’t explain what they feel because they don’t speak yet, which is an obstacle for researchers.
As a board certified pediatric chiropractor I see a lot of infants whose parents bring them to me for help with colic. Historically, if vertebral subluxation (spinal dysfunction that creates neurological confusion and misfiring) is found, adjusting the spine with pediatric adjusting techniques has helped most of these children. The most common subluxation in these children in my experience has been in the upper cervical spine. Whether from birth trauma, restricted movement in the womb, or infantile torticollis, babies often have neck tension, restriction or preferences related to how they hold their head, this is the part of the spine most often associated with headaches and migraines in people of all ages. below you will find a list of research findings that I discovered when digging deep online to find evidence that colic may not be purely digestive as traditionally thought. This would explain why gripe water, probiotics, dietary changes and other digestive health protocols don’t seem to work to ease colic in babies.
This article on the American Migraine Foundation website is worth a read: CLICK HERE
While the research to date shows promise and needs further study, it does suggest that having your baby with colic checked for vertebral subluxation by a pediatric board certified chiropractor may be worth effort.
1. A case-control study published in JAMA in 2013 found that children with migraine were significantly more likely to have experienced infantile colic compared to those without migraine (72.6% vs 26.5%). This association was not found for children with tension-type headaches[5].
2. Research has shown that mothers who suffer from migraines are more than twice as likely to have babies with colic. A study by Gelfand et al. found that 29% of infants whose mothers had migraines had colic, compared to 11% of babies whose mothers did not have migraines[1].
3. A meta-analysis found that the odds of migraine were increased five to six-fold in individuals with a history of infant colic[2].
4. A prospective cohort study found that infant colic was associated with an increased risk of developing migraine without aura by age 18 [2].
5. Studies have failed to find a definitive link between infant colic and gastrointestinal problems, despite decades of research. Treatments aimed at gastrointestinal causes have often been ineffective[2].
6. The timing of colic onset and resolution aligns with developmental changes in infant visual perception and circadian melatonin secretion, which could explain the crying patterns if colic is a migraine-related phenomenon rather than a digestive issue[2].
7. Probiotics have shown some efficacy in treating colic, but medications for gas (like simethicone) have not been proven effective compared to placebo, suggesting the underlying cause may not be primarily digestive[6].
These findings collectively suggest that infant colic may be an early life expression of migraine rather than a purely digestive issue. However, more research is needed to fully understand the relationship between colic and migraine.
My name is Dr. Lou Jacobs and I have been in practice in Portland, Maine since 2003. Our office is dedicated to families with a focus on pregnant moms and children. We do not prescribe medications, we perform no invasive procedures, and pediatric exams are safe, comfortable for the baby and may uncover conditions that could predispose infants and young children to headaches of all kinds that they are unable to explain. Our evaluation techniques require no conversation with the baby, but rather with the parents. Through acute listening and evaluation of pregnancy, labor and delivery, as well as a history of the first few months or years outside of the womb, we are able to conclude whether or not your child may be able to be helped by our pediatric chiropractic techniques. For more information or to speak to me, call our office and speak to Sandra. She will guide you through the process of bringing your child in for assessment. (207) SPINAL-1 (774-6251)
Citations:
[1] https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2012/02/98537/babies-colic-linked-mothers-migraines
[2] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4809021/
[3] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5582358/
[4] https://brieflands.com/articles/ijp-141921
[5] https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/1679399
[6] https://www.amershamclinic.com/is-infant-colic-a-type-of-early-migraine