Resolution of Constipation in Children Following Chiropractic Care - A Case Series

Published in the September 26, 2015, issue of the Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health is a case series study documenting the resolution of severe constipation in two small children. In both of these cases, the children's conditions were serious enough to have a negative effect on their daily lives.

The study begins by noting that functional constipation accounts for approximately 3% of visits to medical pediatric clinics. In about 40% of these cases, the parents of the children seek some form of alternative care due to the lack of results their child received under medical care.

In the first case, a 3-year-old girl was brought to the chiropractor by her mother. She had been suffering with constipation and had only had one or two bowel movements per week for the last two weeks. Her mother reported that the girl would say she needed to go to the bathroom, but was unable to and was in significant pain. The girl's diet contained lots of vegetables, raw fruit, and plenty of water.

In the second case, a 3-year-old boy was brought to the chiropractor by his mother with chronic constipation since birth. The mother noticed that her son was "miserable" since the age of 6 weeks. His constipation was so severe that his mother would have to use a rectal thermometer to stimulate bowel movements. The boy's pediatrician provided no real explanation for the child's constipation and no treatment options were offered.

Both the children received chiropractic examinations consisting of various physical and functional analyses. Both children were determined to have subluxations that were affecting nerve system function. Based upon the findings and histories, the children began chiropractic adjustments for corrections of their subluxations.

In the case of the young girl, she experienced regular bowel movements by the fifth chiropractic visit, and did not have a repeat of the constipation problem thereafter. Her mother elected to have her daughter continue chiropractic care on a wellness care basis.

The young boy showed some improvement in the first few visits, though progress was slower but steady. By the 11th chiropractic visit, the boy's rate of bowel movements had dramatically improved. After 6 weeks of chiropractic care and 13 visits, the mother reported that her son was having normal daily bowel movements. The child was placed on wellness care thereafter.

In their conclusion the authors wrote, "This case series provides supporting evidence on the effectiveness of chiropractic care in children with constipation."