Treatment of Children

A baby with eyes closed being treated with two hands holding the head

Biodynamic osteopathic treatment of children is a traditional form of osteopathy that focuses on the gentle and holistic treatment of children. This approach is based on the biodynamic model, which was developed by Dr. James Jealous D.O. and is rooted in the work of William Sutherland D.O., the founder of osteopathy in the cranial field.

The treatment involves a very light touch to observe and perceive living anatomy, aiming to facilitate healing responses uniquely tailored to each child’s needs. It recognises the inherent healing capacity within the body and seeks to enhance natural self-regulatory processes. Practitioners listen attentively to the child’s body through touch to perceive areas of congestion or restriction, which can be addressed without the use of force.

This approach is highly regarded for its ability to treat a wide range of conditions in children, from birth to adolescence, and is known for its gentle and effective nature.

Many of the problems commonly found in infants may be caused by the pressure during labour and delivery. If the forces of compression during birth are too much, the child’s nervous system may become overwhelmed, and the skull bones may not be able to fully re-expand to their normal state of ease after the birth. Some births might not appear problematic, but can still produce substantial and lasting compression. An abnormally quick labour may prove equally overwhelming as one that is long and difficult. The newborn child’s physiology may become affected by these compressive forces, resulting in structural imbalances, irritability of their nervous system, and a variety of symptoms. These symptoms may range from minor variants of “normal” irritability to significant pathology.

Biodynamic osteopathy is suitable for anyone who prefers an indirect, non-violent approach to treatment. At our clinic we use this treatment for:

  • Babies and infants
  • Children
  • Complex and chronic illnesses in children
  • Pregnancy
  • Post-partum, including birth trauma
  • Physical and emotional trauma 

Some of the patients that we treat come to us with the following types of problems:

  • Newborn checkup – In the first few days after birth, the head can usually be seen to gradually lose the extreme moulded shape, as the baby suckles, cries and yawns. However, this unmoulding process is often incomplete, especially if the birth has been difficult. As a result, the baby may have to live with some very uncomfortable stresses within its head and body
  • Babies born by caesarian – the baby can retain moulding of the head from when they were in the uterus, as their body has not been stretched out from a vaginal delivery. The moulding can affect the pelvis and limbs as well as the head
  • Irritable or crying all the time – the fractious, irritable baby usually needs to be rocked to sleep or prefers being carried. The baby may be uncomfortable, with a constant feeling of pressure in the head. This is made worse by the extra pressure on the head when lying down
  • Feeding difficulties – the baby takes a long time to feed, and one feed merges into the next. He/she may have a lot of wind. Feeding can be difficult and tiring due to mechanical stresses through the head, face and throat. The nerves to the tongue may become irritated as they exit from the skull, which makes sucking difficult. Sickness, colic and wind, regurgitation of milk between feeds, bouts of prolonged crying due to colic and wind, which is often worse in the evening. This can be because the nerve to the stomach is irritated as it exists from the base of the skull, which impairs digestion. The diaphragm may be stressed or distorted, which further compromises both digestion and the ability of the stomach to retain its contents. Some studies with small numbers of participants have been carried out on osteopathic treatment for babies with colic, and have found it beneficial
  • Sleep disturbances – the baby sleeps for only short periods, and may sleep little in the day or at night. They sleep lightly, woken by the slightest noise. Tension on the bony and membranous casing of the skull keeps the babyʼs nervous system in a persistently alert state. As the child grows, retained moulding can affect symmetry and tension in the child’s body. Sometimes babies develop a very flat head as they are only turning their head one way, sometimes they are slow to crawl as their neck and or pelvis are tight. These types of strains are ideal to be resolved in their first year
  • Glue ear – otitis media from congestion of mucous in the middle ear and the eustachian tube may come from tension in the bones around the ear. This can cause recurrent ear infections, temporary deafness and perforated eardrums, and frequent courses of antibiotics
  • Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) – if not treated early in life, tensions present at birth can result in irritation on the child’s nervous system as they grow, causing changes in behaviour. This can be compounded with genetic susceptibility, environmental toxins and microplastics, vaccine immune reactions, poor diet or reaction to dietary ingredients, nutrient deficiencies, psychogenic or psychosocial factors, and visual, speech or hearing problems, to create a complex situation which is difficult for the child and their carers. A child is given a diagnosis of ADHD when they display a level of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsiveness which appears more frequently and more intensely in affected children than in other children of the same age and development level. These symptoms must occur before age 7, and last for at least 6 months in at least two areas of life – typically at school and at home. This can lead to learning and achievement disorders (including language and speech disorders), perception disorders, social behaviour disorders and self-esteem disorders. Variations of this condition may result in only attention deficit or only hyperactive or impulsivity, but these are not strictly classified as ADHD. Typically, children will be prescribed amphetamines or other drugs to stimulate the nervous system and control the symptoms. These drugs often have side effects. Psychological treatment is also recommended to help the children and their carers cope with the condition. A study published in Italy, a randomised controlled trial on the osteopathic treatment of 28 children with ADHD, found that the children tended to have specific areas of physical dysfunction when examined. Half the children received six osteopathic treatments, which improved their ability to carry out a test consisting of a sustained task designed to measure visual-spatial attention, when compared with the children who did not receive osteopathic treatment
    • Accorsi, A., Lucci, C., Di Mattia, L., Granchelli, C., Barlafante, G., Fini, F., Pizzolorusso, G., Cerritelli, F. & Pincherle, M. (2014). Effect of Osteopathic Manipulative Therapy in the Attentive Performance of Children With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Journal of Osteopathic Medicine, 114(5), 374-381. https://doi.org/10.7556/jaoa.2014.074
    • A Masters thesis by Birgit Hubmann discusses the treatment of osteopathic treatment of children with ADHD in depth, including possible causes. On examination, dysfunction was also found in specific areas of the body in children with ADHD, and they responded positively to osteopathic treatment
    • Hubmann, B, The Influence of Osteopathy on ADHD, Masters Thesis for MSc in Osteopathy, Donau Universität Krems, 2006. https://www.osteopathic-research.org/files/original/fcf70bd934e7e9211af2f821c809b52fc889e6cf.pdf
  • Physical and emotional trauma – gentle osteopathic treatment can help to release tensions related to traumatic events without having to relive the original traumatic event. Babies hitting their head and falling while learning to walk or for other reasons should be brought in for treatment as soon as possible once concussion has been excluded. Other musculoskeletal problems and sports injuries that do not resolve are treated as necessary
  • Problems in pregnancy – pressure on the diaphragm, back pain, and pain in the pubic symphysis or other parts of the pelvis can be related to the position of the baby in the womb, or to muscular tension as a result of the changed posture during pregnancy
  • Post-partum treatment – pregnancy and delivery can be a huge stress on the mother’s body. Osteopathic treatment aims to gently realign the structure and release tensions, giving an optimum chance for the mother to recover

How many treatments will be needed? On average, 2 to 6 treatments are sufficient for many children. This varies according to the severity of the problem and the age of the child.

When should treatment be started? The younger the better, it is never too early to treat children with osteopathy. Ideally all newborns would have an osteopathic checkup. For best results, the baby would be treated in their first year, as birth strains will be more easily resolved. Treatment should be before the age of 5 years, because after this, the stresses causing any asymmetries cannot always be completely eliminated, but it is still possible to achieve some beneficial release of the stresses throughout life.

What does treatment involve? Older children can lie on the treatment couch while osteopathic treatment is given by gently placing the hands on areas of the body that require treatment. Parents or carers can comfort the child or read/tell them a story during the treatment. Babies can be held by the carer, or can be treated during breastfeeding. For infants and younger children, they can be treated while they play with toys that we have in the clinic, or the carer can bring their favourite toys, but ideally not electronic games or phones/tablets. It is not typically necessary to undress, unless examination of a specific area is required. In addition, dietary guidance, supplement and lifestyle recommendations may be given to assist the child’s osteopathic treatment.

Book an osteopathy treatment at Greenfields online, or call us on 952 152 632. 

A baby lying on its back and an adult's hands holding one foot