Paediatric Osteopathy

Why do babies need treatment?

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When babies cry, it can be hard to decipher why – you’ve ticked all the boxes, they’re fed, winded, changed, cuddled and are nice and warm and they’re still unsettled…. you may wonder what else could be causing the problem.

 

During a consultation with myself we are looking to find the true cause for their discomfort. I will take a detailed case history considering aspects like your baby’s feeding, sleeping and playing routines as well as taking account of family history, baby’s age, pregnancy history, birth history and baby’s medical history (if any) searching for clues that may highlight the cause of the problem. I will then conduct a full examination of the babys musculoskeletal system, searching for any muscular strains or tensions that could be causing discomfort or dysfunction. These are generally caused from birth or how they were positioned during the pregnancy.

 

My treatment involves techniques aimed at restoring the babies body to its natural state of balance, alignment and function. I will also give advice on routines, feeding tips and exercises you can do at home, or if needed I will advise on any further referral to the Paediatrician/lactation consultant.

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Do you treat little children?

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Yes! I welcome children of any age for treatment. Osteopathic techniques are suitable for children at all stages of development. I’m often asked to check over a child’s gait for instance, or help with older children who may present with intoeing or knock knees that are normal at certain ages, but not at others. Other issues like reflux, sleeping issues and development delays are all something I can address during treatment.

If you’re not sure whether I can help, please let me know and I will call you to discuss whether osteopathy is the right approach for your child.

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If my baby seems fine, are there any things to look out for that might suggest osteopathy would be a good idea?

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• Does your baby lie straight, or do they tend to lie “banana shaped”, always curved to one side?

• Does your baby have an uneven head shape?

• Is your baby very snuffly?

• Does your baby tend to favour looking to one side?

• If breastfeeding, does your baby latch more easily on one side?

• Does your baby have difficulty opening their mouth wide enough to latch?

• Does your baby tend to arch their back a great deal?

• Does your baby have sluggish bowel function?

• Does your baby seem more unsettled than you would expect a baby to be?

If the answer is yes to any of the above, it may be worthwhile bringing your baby for a check-up.

 

How quickly do you see results?

This depends upon the problem. Some problems are very simple and straight- forwards; others are more difficult and may involve many factors, some of which are not related to the field of osteopathy. For this reason, before treating your baby, I will have a chat with you about what I have found to give you a tentative idea of what to expect.

Some babies that have a checkover may need just one appointment, but others may benefit from a course of treatment.

Babies that have difficulty latching often show an improvement immediately after a treatment. Babies with sluggish bowel movements often empty their bowels shortly after a treatment. Change tends to be a steady and progressive, but depends on the individual baby.

 

 

Tips to make the most of your appointment (For younger children and babies):

• Try and make your child’s appointment at a time of day where your child is generally settled.

• Ensure your child / baby has had a snack before their treatment.

• Please bring favourite toys / books for your child to look at during their treatment.