Do osteopaths treat babies?
Do you treat babies?
Yes, I personally treat babies! Not all osteopaths do, so please check with your local osteopath prior to booking. Usually, it is stated on their website what ages they treat from.
Giggles, laughs and sleeping babies one day, to being vomited on and screamed at other days. Yes, my Instagram pictures display all the cute giggles. It has its ups and downs but it is very rewarding. As babies change so quickly so do their bodies, so when compared to older adults seeing so much change is incredible. With bubs, early intervention is key.
What do you treat them for?
The 3 most common conditions that I see often in my clinic are:
Stiff/wry (Torticollis) neck.
Flat head (Plagiocephaly) syndrome.
Colic/reflux/unsettled babies.
An interesting study in NZ showed when babies presented to an osteopath, they often presented with a few conditions, not just one.
Insight from paediatric osteopathy study in NZ 2015.
Why treat babies?
Osteopaths feel that very gentle examination and potential treatment of the very young can help ease infant discomfort, make neck movement more relaxed or easy, and help the baby become calmer and more comfortable by easing muscular or myofascial strains that have been triggered as part of the birth process.
Accordingly, we encourage mothers to bring their infants at around six to eight weeks of age and to have them ‘checked’ for minor biomechanical and soft tissue stress and strain that might be giving them discomfort and therefore making them unsettled. Many mothers now bring their babies to be ‘checked’ even in the absence of any symptoms.
Working with a health care team
A common health professional that I communicate with to provide interprofessional care for your child is:
Paediatricians
Lactation consultants
Midwives
Read more on our paediatrics page or give an email/call to answer your questions.
