Sleep disturbance and temper tantrums in children who had experienced colic as an infant
This is an interesting study from 2009 looking at sleep and behaviour in children aged 2-3 years.
The study compared two groups of children who had experienced “colic” as infants.
The first group had had Chiropractic care as infants, and the second group had not.
The study compared sleep and behaviour at ages 2-3 years.
Each group had almost the same number of children in it (117 chiro group, 111 toddlers in the nontreatment group)
Results
The study found that toddler who had Chiropractic care as toddlers were twice as likely NOT experience temper tantrums and frequent night waking than those who did not receive Chiropractic care as infants.
Children experiencing Chiropractic care as infants were more likely at ages 2-3 to:
- Have no tantrums or less tantrums
- Fall asleep within 20 minutes
- Sleep through the night
The authors suggested that chiropractic care for infants with colic may have an effect on long-term sequelae.
Take home points
- It is common for us at a Children’s Chiropractic practice to see both unsettled behaviour and sleep problems as infants, and sleep problems, and behaviour issues at ages 2/3 three.
- The term “colic” is often confusing and should be avoided. The term often assumes wind or gut pain, which is often not the cause of the unsettled behaviour.
- In both groups there is often the same spinal or extremity dysfunction pattern detected.
- In both groups it is common to see improvements after this common dysfunction is corrected.
- If you have an unsettled infant, having these issues corrected, may benefit your infant not only with the present unsettled state, but future effects also.
- If you have a toddler who is experiencing temper tantrums or sleep disturbance, having an assessment may help these issues.
As always, more research is required in this area.
References
Miller JE, Phillips HL. Long-term effects of infant colic: a survey comparison of chiropractic treatment and nontreatment groups. J Manipulative Physiol Ther 2009;32:635-8.
