Children`s Osteopathic Clinic
FAQ
CHILDREN'S OSTEOPATHIC CLINIC
How soon can I bring my baby for treatment?
As soon as he/she is born!
If you have any concerns during
pregnancy or from the labour then it is wise to have him/her assessed
as soon as you are able - why wait for the symptoms to set in?
If
all has gone smoothly then within six weeks - as you are starting to
get to know your baby's patterns - is a good time for a check up for
both baby and mum.
Equally it is never too late for your growing
child to be treated. As soon as you have any concerns why not see if we
are able to help.
What will happen during a treatment?
You will be asked to arrive a few minutes before the time of your treatment to fill in a few details for us. In the first sessions a detailed case history will be taken, including any relevant birth/delivery/medical details. A thorough examination will be performed, during which your baby/child may need to be undressed to his/her underwear.
At this point a diagnosis will be made and if you give consent treatment will then be started during the first session. At subsequent treatments there will be a few questions about any change in symptoms and then treatment will be continued. You are welcome to ask questions at any stage during the treatment sessions.
How many treatments will my baby need?
Having looked at our patients over the last year, babies/children required on average 3 or 4 treatments in total. This will differ slightly depending on the child's age and severity of complaint. Time between treatments will be spaced out as is appropriate to each child.
Will it hurt my baby?
Whilst it is unlikely to cause any additional discomfort to your baby they do sometimes get upset during treatment sessions and some dislike having their head held for a prolonged period. However, distraction techniques tend to work really well so please do bring along a dummy, a favourite toy, finger foods or time your session with a breast or bottle feed. Babies asleep at the start of a treatment session will rarely wake up and often they actually fall asleep during the session!
Will there be any side effects?
Side effects are extremely rare. For some children they may react to treatment by being sleepy or show a slight increase in symptoms over the first 24-48 hours after treatment. Your osteopath will discuss with you if this is likely to happen. After this initial adjustment to treatment improvement can be expected.