A mother came to see me a few months ago with her six-week-old son. He cried for hours every evening, arched his back after feedings, and seemed to prefer turning his head to one side no matter how she positioned him. Her family doctor had reassured her that nothing serious was going on. However, she still wanted to understand what was happening in her son’s tiny body and whether there was anything she could do to help him feel more comfortable.
This is one of the most common visits I have in my Etobicoke practice. Colic, reflux, and torticollis often show up together in the first few months of life, and parents are rarely told why, or what signs actually warrant concern.
Having taken Pediatric courses through the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA), this is an area I am well-versed in, and I want to walk you through what each condition actually is, when it needs urgent medical attention, and what gentle, evidence-informed care can look like.
What is Infant Colic?
Colic is not a diagnosis in the traditional sense. It describes a pattern of excessive, difficult-to-soothe crying in an otherwise healthy, well-fed baby.
The classic definition, sometimes called the Rule of Threes, describes crying for more than 3 hours a day, more than three days a week, for more than three weeks.
Updated clinical criteria simply describe recurrent, prolonged crying or fussiness in a baby younger than five months that cannot be explained or resolved by normal soothing.
According to a clinical review published through the National Institutes of Health, colic affects roughly 40% of infants, typically beginning in the second or third week of life, peaking around six weeks, and resolving on its own by three to four months in most babies. No single cause is known, though gastrointestinal discomfort, an immature nervous system, and normal developmental fussiness may play a role.
What Causes Reflux in Babies?
Reflux happens when milk and stomach contents flow back up into the esophagus, often causing spitting up. This is extremely common in young infants because the muscle at the bottom of the esophagus, called the lower esophageal sphincter, is still immature and has not fully learned to stay closed after feeding.
Most babies with reflux are what Pediatric providers sometimes call happy spitters. They spit up frequently, sometimes after every feeding, but continue gaining weight well and do not seem particularly bothered by it. In a smaller number of babies, reflux becomes frequent or forceful enough to interfere with feeding, sleep, or weight gain, at which point it is described as gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, signs suggesting GERD rather than simple reflux include back arching during or after feeds, irritability with regurgitation, choking or gagging, and poor weight gain.
What Torticollis Actually Is?
Congenital muscular torticollis describes a tightening or shortening of the sternocleidomastoid muscle, which runs along the side of the neck. When this muscle is tight on one side, it pulls the baby’s head to tilt toward the affected side while the chin rotates toward the opposite shoulder. It usually becomes noticeable around six to eight weeks of age and is the most common cause of head tilt in infancy.
Researchers believe torticollis often develops from the baby’s position in the uterus or from stress placed on the neck during a difficult delivery, and it is more common after breech positioning or in firstborn babies. According to the Pediatric Orthopedic Society of North America, a meaningful percentage of infants with congenital muscular torticollis also have developmental dysplasia of the hip, which is one reason a thorough hip examination is an important part of any torticollis assessment.
Red Flags: When to See a Doctor Right Away
Most of what I see with colic, reflux, and torticollis is manageable and improves with time and appropriate care. That said, certain signs should prompt a visit to your baby’s doctor or the emergency room rather than waiting for a Chiropractic assessment.
For colic and excessive crying, seek prompt medical attention if your baby has a fever, seems unusually lethargic or difficult to wake, has a swollen or distended abdomen, is not gaining weight appropriately, or if the crying is accompanied by unusual vomiting.
For reflux and spitting up, seek prompt medical care for projectile or forceful vomiting; vomit that contains blood or looks green or yellow; blood in the stool; ongoing breathing problems such as wheezing or choking during feeds; or if your baby refuses to eat or is not gaining weight.
For torticollis and head positioning, prompt evaluation is warranted if the head tilt appeared suddenly rather than gradually, especially in an older infant, if it is accompanied by pain, fever, or reluctance to move at all, or if you notice any other signs of developmental delay alongside it.
If any of these apply to your baby, please contact your pediatrician or family doctor first. I always work alongside your child’s medical team, not in place of it.
How I Assess These Concerns
When I see a baby for any of these concerns, I begin with a detailed history from you, since you know your baby best. I gently assess spinal and neck mobility, muscle tone, and how your baby moves and holds their body. For torticollis specifically, I check for tightness in the sternocleidomastoid muscle and always screen for hip positioning as part of a complete assessment.
Pediatric Chiropractic adjustments look nothing like what people picture when they hear the word adjustment. The pressure used is extremely light, often no more than what you would use to check the ripeness of a piece of fruit. Having taken ICPA Pediatric courses, this has trained me in these gentle, developmentally appropriate techniques for infants and children.
Chiropractic Care and the Evidence
I want to be honest about what the research shows, since parents deserve a realistic picture rather than a promised outcome.
For infant colic, the evidence is mixed but has produced some encouraging findings. A 2024 Delphi consensus clinical practice guideline developed by a multidisciplinary panel of Pediatric experts found reasonable support for gentle manual therapy as part of colic management. Individual trials have produced varied results, with some finding spinal manipulation reduced crying hours more than certain medications, while others found no meaningful difference compared with no treatment. I present this as a reasonable option worth trying rather than a guaranteed fix.
For torticollis, the evidence is more consistent. Early intervention, generally starting before three months of age, is associated with meaningfully better outcomes than treatment started later. Care typically combines gentle manual techniques to improve neck mobility with specific stretches and positioning strategies parents can do at home between visits, similar to what a Pediatric physiotherapist would recommend.
For reflux, I do not present Chiropractic care as a replacement for medical management, particularly when GERD is suspected. I can assess whether tension in the neck and upper spine may be contributing to feeding difficulty or discomfort, and offer practical positioning and feeding guidance.
What Recovery Realistically Looks Like
Most infant colic resolves on its own by three to four months of age regardless of what interventions are tried, which is genuinely reassuring even though it can feel like a long stretch while you are living through it.
Reflux in most babies improves significantly by their first birthday as their digestive system matures and they spend more time upright. Torticollis identified and addressed early, often within the first few months, has a very high likelihood of complete resolution with consistent, gentle care and home stretching.
The mother I mentioned at the beginning of this post came back for a follow-up visit about 6 weeks later. Her son’s evening crying had noticeably shortened, his head rotation had improved in both directions, and while he still spit up occasionally after feeds, he was gaining weight well and seemed much more comfortable overall. Progress with infants is rarely instant, but it tends to be steady when you address the right pieces together.
Putting It All Together
Colic, reflux, and torticollis can feel overwhelming when you are a tired new parent trying to figure out what is normal and what is not. In most cases, these are manageable, well-understood parts of early infancy that improve with time, patience, and the right support. Knowing the red flags that need prompt medical attention can give you peace of mind about everything else.
If you are noticing any of these patterns in your baby and would like a gentle assessment, I would be glad to help. You can learn more about my approach to Chiropractic care for kids or read more about the courses I’ve taken with ICPA.
When you are ready, you can book an appointment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it normal for my baby to cry this much?
Excessive crying in the first few months, even for several hours a day, is common and often falls within what is considered colic. Still, mention it to your doctor, especially if you notice fever, poor weight gain, or unusual vomiting.
When does colic usually go away?
Colic typically peaks around six weeks and resolves on its own by three to four months in most babies, regardless of which soothing strategies are used.
Is spitting up the same as reflux disease?
Not usually. Frequent spitting up in a baby who is otherwise happy and gaining weight well is common physiologic reflux. Reflux disease, or GERD, involves additional signs like poor weight gain, feeding refusal, or breathing difficulty.
Can a Chiropractor help with torticollis?
Often, yes, particularly when care begins early. Gentle manual techniques combined with at-home stretching and positioning tend to produce the best results within the first few months of life.
Does torticollis mean something else is wrong with my baby?
Not necessarily, though torticollis is associated with a higher chance of hip positioning issues, which is why a hip screening is typically included in a thorough assessment.
When should I take my baby to the doctor instead of waiting?
Seek prompt medical care for fever, lethargy, poor weight gain, forceful or bloody vomiting, breathing difficulty during feeds, or a head tilt that appears suddenly rather than gradually.
Is Chiropractic adjustment safe for a newborn?
Pediatric Chiropractic care uses extremely gentle pressure suited to a baby’s developing body, and practitioners who have taken courses with the ICPA receive specific training in these techniques for infants.
Will my baby need ongoing care, or is this a one-time fix?
It depends on the concern and how your baby responds. Torticollis often needs a series of visits combined with home exercises, while colic-related care is typically shorter-term and paired with time and normal development.
This post is intended for educational purposes and does not replace individualized medical advice. If your baby is experiencing any red flag symptoms described above, please seek medical care promptly.
