
Osteopathy for children
Osteopathy offers gentle and effective ways to treat babies, infants, children and adolescents in case of a variety of conditions and physiological dysfunctions and to support a healthy development during their entire growth period.
Already newborns can be treated by adequately trained pediatric osteopaths. The months spent in the confined space of the mother’s womb and the forces acting upon the baby during the birth process – with or without apparent complications – may produce fields of tension in the baby’s body, and the organism is not always able to resolve these tensions by itself. Thus they may be expressed through various symptoms like feeding difficulties, sleeping problems or colic. The body is able to adapt to and compensate for untreated tensions, but after a certain time clinical issues like chronic middle ear infections, malocclusion, scoliosis, etc. can manifest. During the early years of life, tensions in the body can relatively easy be treated and released by experienced and specifically trained osteopaths. In general, only a few treatment sessions are necessary to achieve resolution in babies or children. We also consider osteopathic care a valuable measure to support a child’s health and development.
In our practice the treatment of children is an issue dear to our hearts. All partners have successfully attended various continuing education courses in pediatric osteopathy at various institutions including the Nove Lune Institute, San Marino, the Osteopathic Center for Children (OCC) in London and the Swiss Osteopathic Center for Kids (SOCK). Often we cooperate with pediatric medical doctors, orthodontists, consultation services for mothers with small children, midwives, lactation consultants and birthing clinics, who appreciate our long-standing experience. The treatment itself takes place in a relaxed sitting or lying position. Especially with babies and infants we try to adapt to their needs and treat them in a setting where they feel safe, i.e. the treatment might take place while the children are being fed, are playing or reading a book with their mother, father or another accompanying person. Also during the treatment of older children an accompanying person can be present if the children wish so. The treatment takes place in an individual room or in the larger common room.
Parents and children particularly appreciate our special “children clinic days” where several treatments take place simultaneously in two large joint rooms. The children are treated by their usual attending practitioner and we have the option to consult with a colleague who joins and supports the treatment for a short time. This kind of cooperation seems to have a profound and comprehensive influence on the treatments. It is natural for the children to be treated in the presence of others and they are generally calm and cooperative. Here you can find a list of typical conditions and problems of babies and children, which can be treated osteopathically. Should the disease or symptoms of your child not be on the list we are happy to inform you personally, whether the condition can be influenced by osteopathic treatment.