Osteopathy for Babies, Children and Teenagers
We love helping under 18’s reach their best. Read on for infants and babies, or jump to treatment for children and teenagers here.
Since its founding in 19th century America, osteopaths have treated children of all ages.
Osteopathy is a holistic treatment that includes a good understanding of the effects of pregnancy and birth, and the implications this has on the health, growth, and development of the baby and child.
Our three osteopaths are experienced paediatric osteopaths, with both our female osteopaths (Emma Childs and Emma (Chip) Chippendale Ceely) specialising in babies and children of all ages with nearly 30 years of experience each. Kevin Partridge sees children over the age of 5.
Osteopathic principles recognise that structure and function are intimately related. If body structure is not balanced and healthy, then function can be affected.
Muscular tensions can affect babies in many different ways, such as discomfort in certain feeding positions, a strong preference turning their head one way or lying to one side and general irritability or difficulty relaxing.
Very gentle osteopathic techniques (usually cranial osteopathic techniques) can help to improve this. Combining this with our specialist knowledge to give you advice and support means that most people see a happier calmer baby very quickly.
Osteopaths do not treat ‘conditions’ but aim to get the body working as well as it can by addressing any mechanical issues that may be compromising it. Each stage of childhood from birth to adolescence, brings its own physical challenges. Osteopathy is a gentle manual approach which is suitable for children of all ages, including babies. Some parents choose to bring their baby for a new baby birth check or older child for a check-up later on.
What Happens During Your Childs Appointment.
The osteopath will ask a series of questions about your baby or child in order to provide a case history. During the case history, questions will be asked about the reasons why you have come, details about your health during the pregnancy, the nature of the delivery (in order to establish the impact on your babies body) and your babies health and medical history.
This enables your osteopath to understand how any areas of tension or discomfort may have developed.
Following this, your paediatric osteopath will examine your baby in order to begin to work out how their body may be being affected by the problem and what factors may be contributing to it. If your baby is awake when they arrive, it often starts with the baby being undressed to the nappy in order to feel and move each joint, gently and specifically to assess tension. This examination will include an assessment of general health and a thorough developmental check.
During this time, a paediatric osteopath will also gently use their hands to gain further impressions of your child’s body tissues. If the baby is presenting with issues relating to feeding, it may be useful to observe this so that we can determine the postural influences on feeding. In some cases examination and treatment may take place on the treatment table but your osteopath would also be able to examine and treat while they are being held or fed by a parent.
Children and Teenagers
In a nut shell, over the past year in our 5-18 year old category we see the injuries in the photo above.
As our bodies grow the strains put on it change. Because of this we are prone towards getting particular injuries at certain ages. You can read about common developmental problems that we see here and here (including Osgood-Schlatters knee, Scheuermann’s spine, Scoliosis, Sever’s heel and Perthes hip). Most of the pains and strains we see resolve quickly and easily with most under 18 year olds only needing between one and three sessions.
We provide treatment for upper back, shoulder, neck pain and headaches particularly around exam times. This results from time spent studying, often with poor posture (such as text neck). Treatment for these muscle, tendon and nerve pains is fast, gentle and effective.
However we also treat a growing number of young athletes, often from sports such as rugby, swimming and equestrianism. We understand the demands of the sports and the need to work with the coaches to get back to sport and training as quickly as possible without losing your edge.
Osteopath Kevin Partridge has developed his interest in sports, performance and recovery through a commitment to learning, including Sportskongress, IOC World Conference on Injury Prevention and Sporting Shoulder-from pain to performance.
Please note that under 16’s will need a chaperone (parent, carer or guardian) to be present.
We have three Osteopaths at The Trinity Practice, Kevin Partridge, Emma Childs and Emma (Chip) Chippendale Ceely and Paula Edwards our Soft Tissue and Remedial Massage Specialist.
To make an appointment please click on the link below or call us.
BOOK ONLINE www.trinitypractice.co.uk Telephone 01747 851726