Is Your Child Struggling With Constipation?
What Every Parent in Gilbert, AZ Needs to Know About Constipation, the Nervous System, and How Chiropractic Care May Be Able to Help
Centric Chiropractic | Gilbert, AZ | Serving Chandler, Mesa & Queen Creek
🛑 Scope of Practice Disclaimer
The information in this article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Chiropractic care, as practiced at Centric Chiropractic, does not diagnose, treat, or cure any disease, illness, or medical condition — including constipation. The sole focus of chiropractic care is the detection and correction of vertebral subluxations — areas of spinal dysfunction that create interference in the nervous system. Any improvements parents observe in their child’s digestive function are the result of the body’s own innate capacity to self-regulate when nervous system interference is reduced. Chiropractic care is not a substitute for medical care. If your child is experiencing significant or persistent constipation, please consult your pediatrician.
If you are a parent who has watched your child strain, cry, go days without a bowel movement, or live with the chronic discomfort of constipation — you know how exhausting and helpless it can feel.
You have probably already tried the standard recommendations: more water, more fiber, more fruit, fewer bananas, prune juice, Miralax. And maybe those things helped a little — or maybe they helped for a while and then stopped working, or maybe they never really worked at all.
What most parents have never been told is that constipation in children is not always a gut problem. Sometimes — more often than most people realize — it is a nervous system problem. And that is where chiropractic care enters the conversation.
At Centric Chiropractic in Gilbert, Arizona, we support families across the East Valley who are looking for a natural, holistic approach to their children’s health. This post explains the nervous system connection to pediatric constipation, what the research shows, and how chiropractic care works to support the body’s own digestive regulatory capacity.
How Common Is Constipation in Kids?
More common than most parents realize — and far more disruptive than a simple bathroom inconvenience.
📊 Constipation affects an estimated 10% to 30% of children worldwide and accounts for approximately 25% of all referrals to pediatric gastroenterologists, making it the second most referred problem in that specialty (Alcantara & McCoy, 2008).
📊 In long-term follow-up studies of children under age 5 presenting with constipation, approximately 30% continue to experience the problem after two years — even with standard medical management (Chiro One, 2025).
📊 An estimated $800 million is spent annually on laxatives in the United States. Children are a significant portion of that population (Alcantara & McCoy, 2008).
Constipation in children tends to cluster at three distinct developmental stages:
· In infancy during the transition from breast milk or formula to solid foods
· In toddlers who are in the process of toilet training
· In school-age children, often driven by schedule disruption, school bathroom anxiety, dietary changes, or reduced physical activity
And in a significant percentage of cases, dietary changes and laxatives — while sometimes helpful — do not fully resolve the problem. That is because they are not addressing what is actually driving it.
The Nervous System and the Gut: A Connection Most Parents Don’t Know About
Here is something that changes the way most parents think about constipation:
The digestive system is almost entirely governed by the nervous system.
Your child’s gut does not work independently. Every phase of the digestive process — from the muscle contractions that move food through the intestines (called peristalsis) to the sphincter control that governs elimination — is coordinated by nerve signals. Specifically, it is coordinated by:
The Enteric Nervous System
The enteric nervous system — sometimes called the “second brain” — is a complex network of over 500 million neurons embedded in the lining of the gastrointestinal tract. It governs gut motility, secretion, and absorption. But it does not operate in isolation. It is in constant bidirectional communication with the central nervous system — specifically through the vagus nerve and the spinal nerve roots of the thoracic and lumbar spine.
The Autonomic Nervous System
Bowel function is regulated by the autonomic nervous system — the branch of the nervous system that controls all of the body’s involuntary functions. The autonomic system has two primary branches:
· The parasympathetic nervous system — the “rest and digest” branch — actively stimulates gut motility, promotes peristalsis, and supports normal, regular bowel elimination
· The sympathetic nervous system — the “fight or flight” branch — slows or inhibits digestion when the body is under stress
In a well-functioning nervous system, these two branches are in dynamic balance. When the parasympathetic system has adequate tone and clear neural pathways, the gut moves efficiently and bowel movements happen regularly.
When there is interference in the nervous system — specifically in the nerve pathways that communicate between the brain, the spinal cord, and the digestive organs — gut motility can be significantly impaired. The gut slows down. Peristalsis weakens. Elimination becomes irregular, difficult, or infrequent.
This is not a theory. It is established physiology. The question is: what creates that interference?
The nerve roots that supply the large intestine, colon, rectum, and pelvic floor emerge from the lumbar and sacral spine — specifically the L1 through S4 spinal levels. Subluxations in these regions can directly affect the quality of the nerve signals governing bowel function.
How Spinal Subluxation Can Affect Digestive Function in Children
A vertebral subluxation is an area of spinal dysfunction — a spinal segment that has lost its proper motion or alignment in a way that creates interference in the nervous system. Subluxations are caused by the kinds of physical, chemical, and emotional stresses that children encounter from the very beginning of life:
· The compressive forces of the birth process, particularly in prolonged labors or deliveries involving interventions
· Falls from beds, changing tables, couches, and playground equipment that are a normal part of childhood
· The postural demands of carrying a heavy head on a developing spine
· Hours of looking down at tablets, phones, and screens
· Emotional and physiological stress from schedule changes, school transitions, dietary shifts, and environmental demands
When subluxations occur in the lumbar spine or sacrum — the spinal regions whose nerve roots directly supply the large intestine, colon, and rectum — the quality of the nerve signal governing those structures can be impaired. The bowel receives a diminished or dysregulated neurological signal. And a bowel that is not receiving clear, consistent neurological instruction from the parasympathetic nervous system tends to move slowly, incompletely, or not at all.
This is the neurological mechanism through which spinal subluxation can contribute to constipation in children. And it is the mechanism that chiropractic adjustments work to address.
Chiropractic care does not treat constipation directly. What it does is locate and correct the areas of spinal dysfunction that may be creating interference in the nerve pathways governing digestive function — and allow the body’s own regulatory intelligence to restore normal gut motility from the inside out.
What the Research Shows
The research on chiropractic care and pediatric constipation is primarily composed of case studies and case series — which means larger randomized controlled trials are still needed. But the clinical evidence that exists is consistently encouraging, and the biological mechanism is well-supported by established neuroanatomy.
The Alcantara & McCoy Case Series (2008)
A landmark case series published in a peer-reviewed journal documented the successful outcomes of chiropractic care in three pediatric patients with chronic constipation. All three patients were under 2 years of age. Their bowel movement frequency ranged from once per week to once every 3 to 4 days prior to chiropractic care.
Following a course of chiropractic adjustments focused on correcting vertebral subluxation, all three patients experienced significant improvements in bowel movement frequency and regularity. The authors concluded that the case series provided supporting evidence for the effectiveness and safety of chiropractic care in pediatric constipation and called for further research.
📊 “This case series provides supporting evidence on the effectiveness and safety of chiropractic care in patients with constipation.” — Alcantara & McCoy, Journal of Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics, 2008
The 11-Week-Old Infant Case Study (2010)
A case study published in the Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health documented a remarkable improvement in an 11-week-old male infant with chronic constipation. Over an 8-week period prior to chiropractic care, the infant had only 5 bowel movements. Standard medical interventions — including leg exercises, abdominal massage, gripe water, and Mylicon — had produced limited results.
Over a 10-week course of chiropractic care using the Gonstead technique to reduce vertebral subluxation, the infant’s bowel movement frequency improved to several times per day — consistent with normal bowel movement frequency for an infant of that age. The authors highlighted the potential of chiropractic care as a conservative, non-invasive option for pediatric digestive concerns.
📊 “Over a period of 10 weeks, the patient attended a total of 14 visits using Gonstead technique to reduce vertebral subluxation. The result was an improvement in the child’s constipation by having several bowel movements per day.” — Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health, 2010
The 2-Year-Old Case Study (Journal of Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics)
A case study in the Journal of Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics reported that a 2-year-old boy with chronic constipation saw an increase in bowel movement frequency and improved sleep quality following chiropractic adjustments. The improvement in sleep quality — an unexpected finding — reflected the broader influence of nervous system regulation on multiple body systems when subluxation is addressed.
The Twin Infant Case Report (Cureus, 2017)
A 2017 case report in Cureus examined the effects of chiropractic manipulation in 7-month-old twins with chronic constipation. Both infants experienced improved bowel movements following care — a finding particularly notable because of the matched-pair design, which reduced the likelihood of coincidental resolution.
The 2024 Best Practice Consensus Guidelines
A 2024 clinical practice guideline published in the Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine — based on a formal Delphi consensus process involving 60 experienced chiropractors, pediatric specialists, and researchers — affirmed that chiropractic care is within appropriate scope for pediatric patients and supported its use as a conservative, non-invasive option for children experiencing functional concerns including digestive complaints.
The same year, a review published in Clinical Pediatrics noted that chiropractic care is among the most commonly used complementary therapies in children and that safety profiles in the research literature are favorable when performed by trained practitioners.
The Three Life Stages Where Pediatric Constipation Is Most Common — and How Chiropractic Fits
🍼 Infants: The Transition Period
Constipation in infants is often chalked up to formula type, the introduction of solids, or simple digestive immaturity. And while those factors can play a role, the birth process itself is one of the most overlooked contributors to infant digestive dysfunction.
The compressive forces of delivery — even in uncomplicated births — can create subluxation patterns in the lumbar and sacral spine of a newborn. These are the exact spinal levels whose nerve roots supply the large intestine and colon. An infant with lumbar or sacral subluxation from birth may have a compromised parasympathetic nerve supply to the bowel from their very first day of life.
Infant chiropractic adjustments are extraordinarily light — the pressure used is comparable to what you might use to check the ripeness of a peach. Most infants relax or fall asleep during the assessment and adjustment. Many parents of infants under chiropractic care report noticeable improvements in bowel regularity, reduced fussiness, and better sleep.
“My daughter was 6 weeks old and had only been having bowel movements every 5 to 7 days. Her pediatrician said it was normal for breastfed babies, but she was clearly uncomfortable and straining every time. A friend suggested a pediatric chiropractor in Gilbert. After two visits she was having daily bowel movements. I was floored.” — Mom, Gilbert, AZ
🚶 Toddlers: The Toilet Training Stage
Constipation during toilet training is extremely common and is often dismissed as behavioral — a toddler withholding stool because of fear, anxiety, or the disruption of the transition. While emotional and behavioral factors absolutely play a role, the physical side of the equation deserves equal attention.
Toddlers fall. A lot. They fall learning to walk, learning to run, learning to climb, learning to jump off of everything available to them. The cumulative physical stress of early childhood — combined with the significant neurological demands of toilet training, which requires coordinated voluntary and involuntary control of the pelvic floor and sphincter muscles — can create or exacerbate subluxation patterns in the lumbar and sacral spine.
When the nerve pathways governing the pelvic floor and lower bowel are clear, the body’s ability to coordinate the complex neuromuscular process of elimination is supported. Chiropractic care in toddlers with constipation works to ensure that the neurological foundation for that coordination is as clear as possible.
🏫 School-Age Children: The Schedule and Stress Stage
Constipation in school-age children is often driven by a confluence of factors: the disruption of going to school bathrooms (a well-documented phenomenon), increased sedentary time, dietary changes in school lunch versus home food, and the emotional and physiological stress of the school environment.
What many parents and pediatricians miss is the postural and structural component. School-age children are carrying heavy backpacks, sitting in poorly designed chairs for 6 to 8 hours a day, and spending significant time looking at screens. These habits create predictable patterns of thoracic and lumbar subluxation that can impair the nerve supply to the digestive organs.
Additionally, the sympathetic nervous system activation that comes from school-related stress, social anxiety, and academic pressure creates a physiological environment in which the parasympathetic “rest and digest” branch — the branch that drives gut motility — is chronically suppressed. Chiropractic care that reduces spinal subluxation and supports a shift toward parasympathetic balance can meaningfully support digestive regularity in school-age children.
Searching for a “pediatric chiropractor for constipation in Gilbert AZ,” “kids constipation natural relief East Valley,” or “chiropractic for infant constipation near me?” Centric Chiropractic in Gilbert, AZ works with infants, toddlers, and school-age children experiencing digestive concerns across Gilbert, Chandler, Mesa, and Queen Creek.
What to Expect When You Bring Your Child In
If you are considering chiropractic care for your child’s constipation, here is what the process looks like at Centric Chiropractic in Gilbert:
Step 1 — A Thorough Pediatric History. We start by listening. We ask about your child’s birth history, their bowel pattern history, what you have already tried, their diet, their stress environment, their developmental stage, and what your goals are as a family. Every child’s nervous system is unique.
Step 2 — Specific Spinal Assessment. We assess your child’s spine — particularly the lumbar and sacral regions whose nerve roots supply the large intestine and colon — for areas of subluxation, restricted movement, and abnormal muscle tone. For infants, the assessment is hands-on and completely non-invasive.
Step 3 — Age-Appropriate Adjustment. We use techniques specifically adapted for your child’s age, size, and development. For infants, the adjustment involves extremely light fingertip pressure. For toddlers and school-age children, techniques are scaled appropriately. There is no cracking, twisting, or forceful manipulation.
Step 4 — A Care Plan Built Around Your Child. We provide a specific, honest recommendation about how often your child should be seen based on what we find. We also offer guidance on dietary, hydration, positioning, and movement strategies that complement the chiropractic work.
Most parents notice some change in their child’s bowel patterns within the first few visits. For some children the response is rapid and striking. For others it is gradual. Every nervous system responds in its own time and its own way.
Where Chiropractic Fits in the Bigger Picture
We want to be clear: chiropractic care is not the only answer to pediatric constipation, and we would never suggest that it should replace your pediatrician’s guidance. Dietary factors, hydration, physical activity, emotional wellbeing, and when appropriate, medical intervention all have a role to play.
What chiropractic adds to that picture is something no other intervention addresses: direct care for the nervous system pathways that govern digestive function. A child whose lumbar and sacral spine is free of subluxation, whose parasympathetic nervous system has a clear pathway to the bowel, and whose overall nervous system is functioning with less interference is a child whose body is better equipped to regulate its own digestive rhythm.
Many families at our Gilbert clinic use chiropractic care alongside their pediatrician’s dietary recommendations — not instead of them. The two approaches are complementary, not competitive. And many parents report that when they add chiropractic to the equation, the dietary and behavioral strategies they were already using become more effective.
“We had tried everything for our 4-year-old. Miralax, diet changes, more water, less dairy. Nothing was working consistently. Our pediatrician was supportive but running out of ideas. We started chiropractic in Gilbert and within three weeks of consistent care and dietary changes together, something shifted. He’s been regular ever since. I genuinely believe the chiropractic was the missing piece.” — Mom, Chandler, AZ
👶 Is Your Child’s Nervous System Getting in the Way of Their Gut? Let’s Find Out.
If your child is struggling with constipation and you are ready to explore a natural, nervous-system-based approach, Centric Chiropractic in Gilbert, AZ is here to help. We work with infants, toddlers, and school-age children throughout Gilbert, Chandler, Mesa, and Queen Creek. Call us today to schedule your child’s first visit.
References
Alcantara, J. & McCoy, M. (2008). The successful chiropractic care of pediatric patients with chronic constipation: A case series and selective review of the literature. Clinical Chiropractic, 11(3), 138–147. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clch.2008.07.005
Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health. (2010). Resolution of chronic constipation in a neonate following chiropractic care to reduce vertebral subluxation with Gonstead technique.
Journal of Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics. Case study: 2-year-old with chronic constipation and improved sleep quality following chiropractic adjustments.
Cureus. (2017). Chiropractic manipulation in 7-month-old twins with chronic constipation: A case report.
Keating, G., et al. (2024). Clinical practice guideline for best practice management of pediatric patients by chiropractors: Results of a Delphi consensus process. Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine, 30(3), 216–232. https://doi.org/10.1089/jicm.2023.0010
Misra, S. M., Jaber, O., & Long, C. (2024). Chiropractic care in children: A review of evidence and safety. Clinical Pediatrics, 64(7), 1028–1032. https://doi.org/10.1177/00099228241305202
Cornerstone Family Chiropractic. (2025). New study shows chiropractic benefit in pediatric constipation. https://cornerstonefamchiro.com
