Osteopathy for Children
Early detection by our Osteopaths can prevent future problems.
For children, the benefits of Osteopathy are much more profound as they are still at the ‘moulding stage’ of development and life. Osteopathy is a whole system of healthcare; addressing mechanics, nutrition, lifestyle and health beliefs early in life. Correcting strains can change the path the child travels along and we at Brook Green Clinic endorse a positive and motivating approach. We guarantee that the practitioner your child visits will be skilled and experienced specifically in the area of paediatric care.
Osteopathy for babies and toddlers
The benefits of Osteopathy for children start as early as birth, including babies born prematurely.
Treatment is completely safe and will not cause your child any pain or discomfort. When working with children, a light touch is used, to match the sensitive and delicate system of a child and because there are fewer compensatory strains to work through in children. The basis of diagnosis and treatment is much the same as in adults with special consideration paid to development.
Paediatric Osteopathy distinguishes itself from other forms of paediatric healthcare in assessing the child and their development by its unique ability of combining holistic healthcare with a knowledge of orthodox medicine, in both assessing the child and their development.
Newborns can continue to carry the strain of a difficult birth and/or inter-uterine moulding, which can lead to issues such as:
Irritability – A lack of first breath at birth, a prolonged second stage or the head engaging early in pregnancy, can leave the infant with a sense of compression in the head.
Feeding difficulties – often result from mechanical stress on the bones of the palate of the mouth and tightness in the diaphragm often resulting in hiccups.
Inability to relax – hyper-alertness of the nervous system, relating to: caesarean births, fast delivery, complications of the cord, foetal distress, trauma to the head or body.
In the way that a flower on a windowsill will grow towards the sun, the body grows around areas of strain, the restriction anchoring free growth and leaving the musculoskeletal system in a mechanical position that is less than optimum.
How can Osteopaths help a child?
- Irritability
- Feeding difficulties
- Scoliosis & Postural problems
- Growing pain
- Joint pain
- Osgood Sclatters
- Clicking hips
- Inability to relax
- Muscle spasm
- Sport injuries
- Nutritional advice on
learning difficulties - Advice on patterns of sitting, walking and running
- Digestive problems
- Aches and pains
Further advice…
For further advice on any of the above and more, please feel free to contact us on 0207 610 5459.
Osteopathy is a matter of mechanics.
A child’s skeleton is soft to enable development to occur. High levels of growth hormone bring an influx of blood to the tissues that require extra nutrition. Blood vessels travel long paths between the heart and their final destination. Any disruption to free flow of blood; from restricted muscles or joints, can affect the end supply of the artery; such as in Chondromalacia patella & Osgood-Schlatters disease of the knee, slipped femoral epiphysis and Perthes disease of the hip. All of which can be misinterpreted as growing pains and left untreated through disruption of cartilage and joint angle, can result in. osteoarthritis. With early detection and specific advice and exercise prescription, the outcome can be greatly improved.
Osteopathy Tesimonial Star Image
"The next time I was really stunned though was when my daughter was about 6 months old, when I had observed both that she was difficult to spoon feed – she found it difficult to accept the spoon in her mouth, and also made unusual noises. While her brother babbled ‘Dadada’ ‘Bababa’ etc, she could only say ‘mmmm’ as though her mouth was somehow constricted. I took her to Annie and the effect of her treatment was instant – not only was my daughter able to accept a spoon properly so became much easier to feed, but also she suddenly started to make the same noises as her brother. My nanny at the time, who had been deeply sceptical, was the first to admit that the change was amazing."
Charlotte
london
Gentle and Safe correction: Cranial Osteopathy
Cranial Osteopathy is a method used by Osteopaths that works with the subtler mechanics of the body, its gentleness being therefore ideal for treating children. Cranial Osteopathy is not only applied to the head, as the name suggests, but is used for all areas of the body. It is particularly beneficial in considering the:
- Fluid system of the body (taking note that our bodies are 60% fluid) when treating allergies, eczema, post-surgery, shock, pain relating to congestion such as period pain & headaches.
- Nervous system of the body needs to be dealt with in most ailments
- Joint strains that relate to a fall or that result from a problem elsewhere in the body and are in need of orchestrated balancing.
- Treat delicate structures such as the face and head. In the case of newborns, cranial osteopathy is very effective. At birth, the bones of the cranium telescope-in to allow the head to pass through the birth canal. If the process is prolonged or complicated, or when an insufficient first breath is taken to de-telescope the bones, the compression in the head remains and results in a fractious and uncomfortable baby.
- Pregnancy and acute cases where extra care is required.
Further advice…
Please call us on 0207 610 5459 for further information on Cranial Osteopathy.
When to seek Osteopathic advice?
In many instances, the body uses its self-repairing mechanism to resolve a strain. However discomfort and pain are often a sign that the body needs additional support. We recommend a check-up after birth and yearly ‘MOT’ visits, as a health screen and a preventive measure, to address the accumulated effects of falls that have not fully resolved.
Osteopathy is also beneficial at detecting emotional stress and releasing its resultant tension – allowing the child to cope better.
Should you have any enquiries about whether and how Osteopathy can help with concerns over your child’s health, please contact us for a free phone consultation or a pamphlet, and we will endeavour to answer any questions you have.