Episode 5 - Stop Blaming the Gut — Start Looking at the Brainstem

Let's cut the crap — most chiropractors are still explaining colic like it's a gas bubble with an attitude problem. But if you've actually looked at these kids, you know the truth: this isn't a tummy issue… it's a brainstem issue hiding in plain sight. Today we're diving into the mechanism behind colic that almost no one in pediatrics is talking about — vestibular dysregulation — and why it perfectly explains every single symptom you're seeing in practice.   Inside this episode, we break down: The 2021 Høve study that changes the entire colic conversation Why "benign crying" is the worst medical cop-out of all time How the vestibular system wires posture, tone & autonomic balance before the cortex even forms The brainstem connections between the suboccipitals, temporal bones, dura, and autonomic output The 5-question vestibular screening tool you should add to your intake TODAY Why motion intolerance, gravitational sensitivity, and startle patterns are brainstem outputs, not behaviors The exact mechanism: suboccipital strain → distorted vestibular input → Perkinje disinhibition → baby perceives gravity as a threat Why gentle cranial + upper cervical work normalizes vestibular firing faster than anything else How to talk about this with parents without sounding like a neuroscience textbook Big Takeaways: Colic isn't random crying — it's sensory dysregulation. These babies aren't "fussy." Their brainstem is processing gravity like it's a bear attack. The vestibular nuclei, vagal nuclei, and reticular formation sit shoulder-to-shoulder — fix one, you influence them all. Chiropractic results look "miraculous" because you're restoring sensory regulation, not calming a stomach. Using the 5-step vestibular questionnaire gives you actual outcome measures instead of "trust me, the scan is red." Real Talk Moment: I've been guilty of over-explaining colic as reflux or latch issues myself. It's easy. It sounds good. But it's not the whole picture. This study tightened up my understanding and honestly punched me in the clinical ego — in a good way. We should all be leveling up the way we explain colic, because parents deserve more than "gas" and "they'll grow out of it." They don't grow out of it. They grow into something else.   00:00 Welcome to the Cranial Doc Podcast 00:35 Understanding Colic: A Common Challenge 01:38 Explaining Colic to Skeptical Parents 02:22 Reviewing Dr. Janho's 2021 Study 03:46 Connecting Colic to Vestibular Function 06:15 The Five-Step Questionnaire for Parents 09:43 Study Results and Clinical Implications 12:38 Reframing Colic as Nervous System Dysfunction 14:54 Conclusion and Call to Action