Paediatric Osteopathy

Health problems in infancy and childhood

It is a common misconception that babies have no stresses or strains within their bodies. In fact they have generally just undergone one of the most challenging events that they will ever experience during their lives in their short but often eventful journey into the world. The forces of labour meeting the resistance of the pelvic floor with the baby in between can produce some very significant shearing and compressive forces. These impact particularly between and within the bones of the skull and the upper neck, often resulting in significant asymmetries and other unusual head shapes. Sometimes when extreme this is given the name plagiocephaly. Much of this is reduced in the first few days as the baby cries, suckles and yawns. However this unmolding process is often incomplete. This is most often the case if the forces of labour have been prolonged, severe or instruments were used such as in a forceps or ventouse [suction cap] delivery.

The health effects of all this are many and varied. For a series of anatomical and physiological reasons it can result in a frequently crying baby who does not sleep. Colic can be a manifestation, as can feeding difficulties and poor weight gain. Sometimes there is an obviously blocked nose and the child can only breathe through the mouth, leading to an increased likelihood of dental overcrowding and orthodontic work later on. From about age two recurrent infections such as tonsillitis, bronchitis and chronic otitis media [glue ear] often develop. Sometimes this is in tandem with behavioural problems such as ADHD [hyperactivity], excessive temper tantrums and poor socialising. Also any child with learning difficulties will almost always be significantly be helped by Cranial Osteopathic treatment. For example dyslexia and poor concentration at school often have a birth strain at their root cause. Having read the above one might think that after effects of birth are the be-all and end-all of Osteopathic work at this stage. This is not at all the case. Falls, emotional shocks and illnesses during pregnancy can all lead to less than desirable effects on the developing foetus that are palpable and treatable using the cranial mechanism. After the child’s arrival there are autoimmune shocks from vaccinations and head knocks from falls during toddlerhood to be treated for example. In short every newborn should have a check up with an experienced Cranial Osteopathy and most children will benefit from a three or six monthly checkup depending on the age. There is no such thing as too early to treat. During the first 6 weeks of life is ideal. The work is exceptionally gentle and completely safe. In this early phase often it is preventative rather than curative, this obviously being the best way of doing things. Better still is good preparation for labour with Osteopathic treatment during pregnancy. During this time there are many profound anatomical and physiological changes to the mother’s body, often causing significant challenges. Osteopathic treatment has much to offer during what should be a wonderful period of joyful anticipation. Please see the relevant section regarding this.

Mr Bevis Nathan on Paediatric Osteopathy

Osteopathy is for children first! Why? Well, the obvious reason is that minor problems in body structure eventually become more major ones. So that it?s better to correct the minor ones as soon as they arise ? this is often in infancy or childhood.

?As the twig is bent, so the tree inclines? ? to paraphrase Dr William Sutherland, the founder of cranial osteopathy. He meant that if a small strain begins in a part of the body early in life, it may not remain trivial if allowed to persist. This is because the child?s whole body will gradually adapt itself round the strain.

What then takes place is a series of changes that can be structural, chemical and behavioural. Most of the time these do not cause problems. But occasionally they do. The most obvious of these changes is muscular tension. These patterns of dysfunction can become more permanent and more difficult to resolve as time goes on. So what starts out as a mere curiosity or a ?blip? ends up as a real problem.

One reason why such problems can become more stubborn is that the patterns of tension that caused them are actually learned by the child?s nervous system. And because the nervous system is so influential, then other tissues - not just muscles ? can get involved. Examples of other tissues irritated by long-term tension patterns are; blood vessels (blood flow might be affected), glandular tissue (intestinal secretions may be affected), and even the nervous system itself (causing excessive irritability). So what takes place is a subtle, but whole-body change in health. Importantly, this can involve the child?s emotional health, and therefore her behaviour.

If these problems can be treated and settled as they are arising, it is likely that the consequences can be resolved healthily. In this way, an early strain is prevented from being retained in the body as an uncomfortable or irritating stimulus.

Working with growth

But there is a more subtle reason why osteopathy is for children first. Children are growing. It is so obvious it is missed. The force of growth, which involves expanding, lengthening, multiplying of cells, unfolding, developing, learning ? ?flowering? ? is extremely potent. And it is unstoppable. Good osteopathy, in releasing patterns of restricted movement and motion, seems also to harness the ?force-for-growth?. This burgeoning energy, which is inherently healing, then takes over from the osteopath and the disorder resolves in a way which can seem almost miraculous. But it is just the child?s growing body saying ?Ah, thank goodness for that, now we can get on?.