Babies, toddlers & children from birth to five
Babies haven’t embedded any of our bad postural habits and their tissues are extremely responsive to treatment. We use gentle techniques to mobilise the joints, massage the organs and work with fascial patterns of the body as baby uncurls from their time in the womb.
Babies skeletons are softer than those of adults, the bones of the skull are yet to fuse and cranial techniques are often used in their treatment. These address residual compressions in the head and neck, encouraging tissue rebound and resetting. They may also be useful in addressing tensions in the neck or jaw that contribute to latching difficulties or difficulties with bottle feeding.
Some babies experience a long labour or traumatic birth requiring instrumental delivery or emergency section. These babies often have high levels of circulating stress hormones and can take a little longer adjusting. Many exhibit fretfulness and fussing. Cranial techniques can be relaxing and calming and can promote restful sleep and general wellbeing.
The newborn’s digestive system is immature and may be sensitive to milk formulae or foods in the breastfeeding mother’s diet. This can manifest as reflux, excessive gas and constipation. Our treatments use gentle structural techniques to balance the cavities of the body and to massage and create space for the organs. Working the cranial and sacral areas stimulates the calming functions of the autonomic nervous system which operate outside of our voluntary control. With fight or flight under control, blood is diverted to the digestive organs for their optimal function.
Antibiotics can cross the placenta and also find their way into breast milk. They may have been prescribed in late pregnancy or in preventative treatment following a Caesarean or surgical repair of the perineum. Babies themselves are sometimes treated with antibiotics. These are non-selective and strip the developing gut flora before it has a chance to fully colonise. Digestive complaints often manifest as colic-like distress and take a while to settle.
Osteopathy For Babies & Children
Interactive mother-baby practice assists the early bonding processes and, once familiar, can be used as calming tools for unsettled babies. Jane trained with TouchLearn and the Birthlight Foundation to teach infant massage and mother and baby yoga-based exercise. She may prescribe these as part of your baby's treatment plan and may also advise on a range of probiotics and supplements to support baby’s comfort, growth and development.
- Fretfullnes, fussing & colic-like distress
- Digestive discomfort & wind
- Feeding difficulties
- Traumatic birth
- Muscular tension
- Torticollis
Juniors Clinic, 6 – 15 Years
Skeletal maturity is not complete until the late teens/early 20s and many children experience growing pains. Postural issues are a real problem in today's youngsters; carrying heavy school bags has been replaced by lengthy time sitting behind a computer, or dare we say mobile device.
Osteopathic assessment can help in the early detection and management of scoliosis, an abnormal lateral curvature of the spine. It can play a supportive role in helping children manage the condition and it’s associated symptoms of movement restriction, muscle tension and pain. While unable to reverse a scoliotic curve, osteopathy focus on imbalances in the rest of the body and postures that exacerbate the problem. It aims to reduce strain on the spine, allowing the child to move more comfortably and efficiently in their daily activities. Attention to the ribcage can take pressure off the lungs and diaphragm, improving breathing mechanics.
Issues of hypermobility are common in youngsters, affecting more girls than boys. Pain is a common complaint, especially after activity or at night. Increased range of motion renders the joints susceptible to sprains, strains and even dislocations. Hypermobile children often come across as clumsy with poor gross and fine motor skills. They can display clicky joints and experience fatigue as their muscles work harder to stabilise the joints. Symptoms often subside as the connective tissues mature, although a life-long commitment to strength and stability is advised.
Many children, especially those experiencing hypermobility, have flat feet and roll inwards on their ankles. Foot biomechanics have consequences all the way up the chain, affecting joint alignment and muscle balances and stressing the knee, hip and low back. As the fascial planes of the body thread their way from the sole of the foot to the top of the head, altered foot biomechanics can manifest in many ways including opposite shoulder pain, neck pain and even headaches.
Osteopathy For Juniors & Teens
We specialise in musculoskeletal health and the diagnosis and treatment of painful conditions.
Osteopathy can be used to support children as they grow and develop, addressing muscloskeletal imbalances and encouraging good postural habits. Whatever the reason for their visit, we encourage and support all our junior patients to play an active role in their treatment and recovery.
- Growing pains
- Postural issues
- Scoliosis
- Hypermobility
- Headaches
- Digestive issues
- Sleep disturbances
- Stress & emotional wellbeing