How Can Chiropractic Help Treat Reflux during Infancy?
Posted by Jesse Lillejord on
Many babies suffer from digestive issues, a common one being acid reflux/excess spit-up. Pediatric chiropractic uses gentle adjustments and soft tissue work to safely treat your little and provide relief! Read on to find out how we can help and learn at home tips you can do yourself.
GERD stands for gastroesophageal reflux disease. This is basically a fancy way of saying that the sphincter/valve between your esophagus and stomach isn't functioning properly. Most often the sphincter muscle is weak or too relaxed when it shouldn’t be. In newborns and infants, it makes sense that this sphincter may not be functioning optimally ~ it is new to its job.
With a misaligned spine, there can be compression or pinching of the nerves that leave the spinal column. Some of these nerves are traveling to our digestive organs with instructions from the brain on how, when, and what to digest. That being said, when these messengers (nerves) are compressed, they aren't able to get the message to the organs correctly which is why correcting misalignments can provide GI relief. With infants, our adjustments are incredibly gentle! Our touch is similar to pressure you use when checking the ripeness of an avocado!
One component we work on with kidz struggling with reflux is the diaphragm. The diaphragm is our breathing muscle [ in addition to having other roles ]. As you can see depicted below, the diaphragm connects to the lower thoracic spine and is very closely related to the esophagus and stomach. Relaxing and stretching the diaphragm can help release any tension that is being held on these structures.
The stretch: [see video below]
— Hold baby so their left side [stomach side] is down
— Using your fingers with gentle pressure - find the sternum in the center of the chest and follow the rib cage down and out
— Use this stretch throughout the day and after feedings + wait 20-30 minutes after babe eats to avoid spitting up
Here, Dr. Paige demonstrates how to use your birthing / exercise ball as an alternative to tummy time! You can also try the GUPPY POSE! Both of these can be great solutions for babes who don’t enjoy traditional tummy time on the floor.
Each child is so unique and so is their GI system. Although these tips can help at home, it can be beneficial to have your child evaluated for specific care recommendations! Our pediatric specialist will adjust any involved segments of the spine that could be hindering your child's ability to digest + you'll be given individualized tips for help at home!
