Most people often know when they can visit the osteopath themselves. This is often more difficult in case of a baby or child. It is usually more difficult to determine whether, and if so, what is wrong, especially if they are of the age that they cannot speak yet. When will you know that going to the osteopath is the right step for your baby or child?
When does a baby benefit from seeing an osteopath?
The birth of a baby is not a simple taks. For both mother and baby it takes a lot to accomplish. With a vaginal delivery there is a lot of pressure on the head of the baby, whereas during a C-section the baby is often taken out before they are able to prepare themselves to leave the womb and enter a world full of new stimuli.
To make the process of a vaginal delivery just a bit easier, the baby is able to slide the bones of the skull over each other a little bit. This is because the skull is still very flexible due to fontanelles. After the birth your babies body should be able to bring these back to neutral by suckling and crying. In most cases this happens naturally and by itself, but in some cases a little help is necessary if the birth did not proceed smoothly, i.e. if a ventouse or forceps was used. In a C-section the baby has skipped this process.
What are the symptoms I might see in my baby?
Babies are meant to cry, but excessive crying is a sign that help may be needed. Often there are also complaints that have to do with bowel movements and digestion of the milk. Sometimes they have trouble with pooping or farting and/or burping. You will usually see the baby tightening everything in that case. They also often turn red in the face. Reflux (excessive spitting up of stomach acid or milk) can also be related to this.
There is also a possibility that your baby may have a preferred side. This means that they prefer a side to rotate their head towards. This can later lead to an asymmetrical formation of the baby's skull. It is therefore important to spot a preferred side quickly.
Osteopathy can also help when your baby suffers from tongue tie. Often we see that a baby with tongue tie can have a lot of tension around the jaws, throat and tongue. Even after lasering this tension can still persist. In that case osteopathy can help to relax these areas.
When does a child benefit from osteopathy?
When a child grows up, there are many different problems that osteopathy could help with. In the teenage years this is mainly related to excessive computer use, or carrying heavy backpacks, etc. In younger children we see many sports injuries or children who play sports at a high level. Children who have to deal with stress at an early age can in some cases also benefit from osteopathy. Other problems that arise during growth, such as back problems or hypermobility can also often be alleviated through osteopathy.
How can osteopathy help?
An osteopath uses the extensive knowledge of anatomy and physiology to find certain patterns and tensions in the body. By means of a careful approach, an osteopath tries to solve these patterns and activate the self-healing capacity of the body. We give a push in the right direction, but the body should solve the problem on its own, so hopefully it won't happen again. This is especially effective for children and babies because these patterns have only been present in the body for a short time.
An osteopath will always disclose what they will do, and the effect this may have. Your baby or child should not experience pain during the consultation, but it can sometimes feel 'strange'.
Interested in a treatment?
Would you like your baby or child to be treated by Annika? You can book an appointmentdirectly through the online calendar, or you can contact me via phone, whatsapp or email.