Colic Relief for Babies Near Cooper City, FL
If you are the parent of a colicky baby, you know how exhausting and heartbreaking it can be to watch your newborn cry inconsolably for hours — and feel helpless to make it stop. Colic affects an estimated 10 to 25 percent of newborns, and conventional medicine offers very little in the way of reliable solutions. At Alive & Free Chiropractic in Cooper City, FL, we take a neurologically-focused approach to infant colic that looks at the root cause rather than trying to manage the symptoms.
What Is Colic — and What Causes It?
Colic is generally defined as crying that lasts more than three hours a day, more than three days a week, for more than three weeks in an otherwise healthy infant. It typically peaks around 6 weeks of age and usually resolves by 3 to 4 months, though those months can feel like an eternity for a sleep-deprived family.
The exact cause of colic is not fully understood, but research increasingly points to nervous system dysregulation as a central factor. The infant’s nervous system — particularly the autonomic nervous system that governs digestion, stress response, and organ function — may be in a chronic state of stress that disrupts normal gut motility, increases sensitivity to stimulation, and makes self-soothing nearly impossible.
This dysregulation often traces back to the birth process itself. Even a smooth, uncomplicated delivery places significant mechanical force on an infant’s cervical spine and cranium. A difficult labor, prolonged pushing, the use of forceps or vacuum extraction, or a cesarean delivery can increase the likelihood of tension and misalignment in the upper cervical spine — which houses the nerve pathways most directly involved in regulating the gut and the stress response.
How Chiropractic Care Addresses Infant Colic
Neurologically-focused chiropractic care for infants is not about cracking a baby’s back. Newborn adjustments use no more pressure than you would use to check the softness of a ripe piece of fruit — gentle, sustained contact that encourages the nervous system to release tension and restore normal function.
At Alive & Free Chiropractic, we begin every infant evaluation with INSiGHT neurological scans that measure nervous system function along the spine. These scans are completely non-invasive and take only a few minutes. They allow us to see where nervous system stress is concentrated — information that guides every adjustment and makes our care precise rather than generalized.
By addressing tension in the upper cervical spine and sacrum, we aim to reduce the chronic sympathetic (fight-or-flight) activation that underlies so much infant distress. When the nervous system can find a more regulated, parasympathetic state, digestion improves, gas moves more easily, and babies are often able to settle and sleep more effectively.
What Research Says
Multiple clinical studies have examined chiropractic care for infant colic. A 1989 study published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics found that spinal manipulation was significantly more effective than the drug dimethicone in reducing colic symptoms. A 1999 study in the same journal found that chiropractic adjustments resulted in a 67 percent reduction in crying time in colicky infants. While the research base continues to grow, many pediatric chiropractors and the families they serve report consistent, meaningful improvements.
What to Expect at Your Baby’s First Visit
Your baby’s first appointment begins with a detailed health history — including pregnancy, labor, and delivery details, feeding method, and a description of the colic pattern. We will then perform INSiGHT neurological scans and a gentle hands-on assessment of your infant’s spine and cranium.
If we find areas of nervous system stress that appear consistent with your baby’s symptoms, we will explain exactly what we found and outline a recommended care plan. Most parents are surprised by how calm their babies are during adjustments — many fall asleep on the table.
Serving Cooper City, FL and Surrounding Broward County
Alive & Free Chiropractic is located at 11011 Sheridan St #214 in Cooper City, FL 33026, serving families throughout Broward County including Pembroke Pines, Davie, Hollywood, Miramar, and Weston. We welcome newborns — babies as young as a few days old have been seen in our office.
To speak with our team or schedule a visit for your baby, call (754) 203-5907.