Dedicated Bodycare Clinic - Children
Osteopathy for Babies, Children and Teenagers
Babies
A new addition to the family can be a wonderful time. For some parents it can be much more stressful than others.
Difficult births, assisted deliveries, long births, all put a great deal of trauma on mother and baby . Think of it this way - the baby is in a muscular sac and pushed through a tube, out through a bony ring in a twisting pattern that it only just fits through. How would you feel?
Babies can be unsettled, cry a lot, suffer colic, or have funny shaped heads. Osteopathic treatment may help.
Children and Teenagers
Toddlers become children and children become teenagers - and for all of them their bodies undergo considerable and often rapid change, seen by the amount of food they can eat!
A younger child may be susceptible to ear, chest and sinus infections, whilst an older child may have asthma, and the young footballer may be diagnosed with Osgood-Schlatter disease (a rupture of the growth plate of the small bump of bone on the front of the shinbone, right below the kneecap).
For the teenager the school bags become heavier and their posture may develop a 'slouch' - especially with the increasing use of laptops. Children may suffer from growing pains also which may be helped with gentle treatment and stretching.
Children can also simply hurt themselves, in very much the same way an adult can, by falling over or lifting awkwardly.
During these years, many young people take part in a high level of various sports and recreational activities frequently resulting in injuries which, if not treated when young, can become a problem later in life.
Many older teenagers also start to take on part-time work which introduces them to yet more physical demands on their still growing and changing bodies.
These difficult and increasing demands carry the risk of injury and structural stress that, if not treated now, can lead to more chronic conditions in adulthood.
What can an Osteopath do?
Osteopaths are trained professionals skilled in being able to examine, assess, diagnose and treat many injuries and conditions.
The osteopath may help the body to adapt to growth changes and accommodate the effects of hormones, including their effects on circulation and metabolism as well as on the musculo-skeletal system.
The osteopath may also be able to offer advice on posture and exercise and stability so that the body's stress has less chance of becoming a postural habit.
Some osteopaths may recommend annual check-ups for your child to prevent these injuries and stresses from developing or becoming a problem in later life. A little like servicing your car!
Speak to us about spinal assessments
Osteopaths make a full spinal assessment of your child to ensure that any spinal curvatures may be detected early on in development. This may aid in monitoring changes and may help with any future treatment programme. Advice or referral can be arranged if necessary .
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