Osteopathy for babies and toddlers can help to release tension, promote symmetry through the body and can help to address any movement concerns that you as a parent might have for your child.
Treatment is very gentle and will often look like the practitioner is just resting their hands on various parts of the babies body. The aim of this is to very subtly release tension and create balance within the child’s body. The Osteopath may also hold the baby in a specific way to stretch or unwind muscles or to encourage the child to move in a certain way. The practitioner may also show you exercises you can do with your baby at home to complement the treatment received.
Babies can be held or fed during treatment and toddlers may sit on the table or floor and play with toys if they aren’t keen to lay on the treatment table.
Common reasons for babies and toddlers having treatment are:
Feeding difficulties and the generally unsettled baby
Sometimes the process of birth can be very physically traumatic on the baby and can place strain on areas such as the jaw, head and neck.
This can then affect how the baby positions itself at the breast for feeding or make the baby fussy and upset due to discomfort.
Osteopathic examination will identify where the issue is coming from and treatment and advice will be given accordingly.
We have established relationships with many of the local lactation consultants and midwives and referral will be advised when necessary.
Head preference/plagiocephaly
Many babies have a preference to only look in one direction. This maybe due to the process of birth or how they were positioned in utero. This can then lead to flattening at the back of the babies head (plagiocephaly) on that same side, due to pressure being placed the soft malleable bones of the baby’s head.
The Osteopath will treat restrictions found and advise exercises and/or positions that will encourage this to change.
Difficulties with rolling and crawling
Some babies don’t crawl in the normal way eg bum shuffling, crab crawling. This may be due to tension in their pelvis, hips, knees or feet.
Difficulties with rolling can also be due to tension in specific parts if the body.
These areas will be assessed and treatment given accordingly.
Osteopathy for older children and teenagers is also gentle, with the addition of massage and muscle stretching when deemed appropriate.
Exercises/stretches will commonly be prescribed, to help in managing the presenting complaint.
Conditions in children and teenagers that commonly present to Osteopaths are:
