Kids Osteopathy
Newborn & Baby Osteopathy
The delivery process can take a big toll on mum - but it can also take a big toll on the baby, too. Sore backs and necks aren’t uncommon following delivery, whether it’s from the labor, the delivery itself or the in utero position prior to birth. This can affect your baby’s ability to breastfeed, sleep, lay comfortably on their side or tolerate a carrier or car seat. Often, babies may cry uncontrollably and without a known cause - which is often when parents bring them in to be checked.
We help newborns and infants with tension, strains and movement restrictions arising from their bones, muscles, joints, tendons, and nerves. By doing so, we let the body take control to continue with normal and healthy growth and development. We can also help treat some of the underlying causes behind digestion and reflux problems, constipation, excessive wind, sleeping problems, and asymmetrical development (motor skills and movement).
The osteopathic treatment we use with children is very gentle and is a pleasant experience for both children and parents. Treatment can be performed during both rest or playtime, and you don’t need to worry about your child staying still - they’re free to move around as we go. We love teaching and showing parents gentle massage techniques that they can continue to use at home to help care for their baby, too.
Your Appointment
Your first visit will include plenty of talking about your pregnancy, delivery and other relevant information while discussing any concerns you may have. We’ll then conduct a physical examination and discuss these findings with you, as well as the recommended course of treatment. With your consent, we’ll perform gentle, therapeutic hands-on techniques to address restrictions in the body, help improve function, and help to optimize the body’s own regulatory processes.
After the visit, most babies sleep very well, though occasionally some may feel unsettled as their bodies adapt to the changes, which may last up to 24 to 48 hours.
Before the visit, we recommend that you try to feed your baby and bring along a few favorite toys or their dummy. Young children often enjoy being treated in the morning or early afternoon before they are too tired, so if you can, choose an appointment before 3pm.
Children's Osteopathy
Children grow quickly, and as a result, have different demands on their bodies than adults. Understanding these differences and managing them accordingly is key to healthy growth and development - and that’s exactly what we offer.
Often, pain and tension in the head, neck, back, and body can manifest itself in ways that parents may not initially recognise in kids, including a difficulty sitting still, fidgeting, an apparent shortened attention span, learning difficulties, or being ‘accident prone’ - among others.
We use a gentle manipulation called Cranial Osteopathy with kids to help with problems including:
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Growing pains (Sever’s disease & Osgood Schlatter’s disease)
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Scoliosis (the curvature of the spine)
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Postural problems
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Difficulty sleeping
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Walking and running difficulty or pain
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Sports injury recovery & prevention
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Headaches & migraines
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Back & neck pain
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Lower limb pain
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Ear infections
At Southside Wellbeing, we have the privilege of working with many children and families, so we have refined and optimized our assessment and management processes for children. Prior to attending your first appointment, we recommend that you keep a record of the pains and problems your child experiences, including the time of the day that they occur. Please bring along your child’s infant health records as the information may be relevant.