Ask Dr. Anne-Marie
Can chiropractic help babies with reflux?
Short answer
Chiropractic care does not treat reflux, and the research in this area is limited. What an assessment can address is whether a baby is comfortable in the positions feeding requires and whether they can turn and extend evenly on both sides. Reflux with poor weight gain, feeding refusal, or signs of pain needs medical assessment.
Being precise about this
Spitting up is extremely common in infants and often resolves with time and small changes to feeding and positioning. Reflux becomes a clinical concern when it comes with pain, poor weight gain, or feeding refusal — and that belongs with your pediatrician.
I am deliberately conservative in how I describe this, because parents of an unsettled baby are exhausted and vulnerable to overconfident claims.
My perspective
What I look at is mechanical and modest: can this baby turn comfortably both ways, do they tolerate the positions feeding requires, and is there a pattern to when the distress occurs. Alongside that, a skilled lactation consultant is frequently the most valuable person in the room.
When to seek medical care
See your pediatrician for poor weight gain, feeding refusal, blood in vomit or stool, forceful projectile vomiting, or a baby who seems unwell.
Content on this website is educational and informational in nature and is not intended as a substitute for individualized medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
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Dr. Anne-Marie is the lead chiropractor at Compass Family Chiropractic in Dunwoody, Georgia, serving families across metro Atlanta.