Osteopath for Babies
The common image one has of the osteopath is that professional who treats our 'aches and pains' due to adulthood, poor posture and other pathologies. However, the figure of the osteopath exists and is of great importance.baby osteopath.
This is because we are not used to thinking that even a newborn baby, only a few days old, may need to solve problems or, more importantly, prevent bad attitudes that could negatively affect its growth.
Osteopath for babies: what he does and what techniques he uses
The paediatric osteopath uses gentle and delicate techniques on the newborn to prevent and/or solve the main problems of this tender age (myogenic torticollis, sucking and breastfeeding problems, gaseous colic, gastroesophageal reflux, positional plagiocephaly, etc.).
Neonatal Osteopathy acts on musculoskeletal system (muscles and joints), on the visceral system (stomach and intestines) and on the nervous system.
Thanks to manual techniques (NOT use of electro-medical equipment) the osteopath improves the joint mobilitythe state of muscle tissue and possible visceral tensions which cause the problems mentioned above.
We will elaborate on these in more detail in the following paragraphs.
Neonatal osteopath: why it is important
Osteopathy is in itself a preventive therapy.
It makes it possible to intercept contractures and joint stiffnesses that with time could lead to real problems, more or less serious.
As with all things, this type of prevention is much more effective in children and infants than in adults, since their systems are so plastic and receptive that they react effectively (and in a very short time) to osteopathic manipulations.
This allows possible disturbances to be identified and resolved quickly.
With regard to newborns, we must never forget that incorrect positioning in the belly during pregnancy or the mode of delivery can lead to problems (contractures and joint stiffness) that are not always immediately detected and resolved.
A prime example of what has been said so far is the myogenic torticollis of the newborn and sucking problems, topics that we will discuss in more detail in the next few pages.
Neonatal osteopath and myogenic torticollis
The myogenic torticollis is a frequent problem in infants and is due to more or less marked contractures of the neck muscles.
One of the muscles mainly involved is the sterno-cleido-occipito-mastoid (SCOM). However, a good neonatal osteopath must not neglect the health of the entire neck and back musculature in order to have a 360° view of the child's posture.
A child with myogenic torticollis will have a altered head posture and limited movement capabilities and rotation.
This disorder is often under-diagnosed or ignored during the first weeks of life and this can lead to positional cranial deformities (flat head and positional plagiocephaly) and postural alterations to the cervical spine.
Myogenic torticollis does not resolve itself with time, but some neonatal osteopathy treatments in combination with the right postural recommendations offered to parents.
I also often teach theOsteo-Massage so that parents can massage their baby's neck and back, relaxing it and improving its posture.
NB: an untreated torticollis can cause a positional plagiocephaly.
Paediatric osteopath and breastfeeding problems
I breastfeeding problems are the order of the day for new mothers.
Unfortunately, in Italy there is often a lack of both correct information about the benefits of breastfeeding and real support in the event of difficulties. The result is that mothers who experience more or less pronounced problems with breastfeeding and who are not adequately supported, rightly so, throw in the towel very early (most of them before the baby is two to three months old).
As my midwife colleagues and I are used to telling new mothers, effective breastfeeding requires two people: the mother and the baby.
Very often, unfortunately, we focus only on the mother (perhaps unfairly blaming her in the event of difficulties). Unfortunately, one forgets to help the baby, who, due to intrauterine malposition or childbirth, may have developed contractures in the neck, jaw and mouth that do not allow him to suck milk properly, causing breast pain, rhagades, insufficient growth, a difficult attachment, etc.
With a perfect knowledge of the biomechanics of these body regions, the neonatal osteopath can intervene in a timely manner to resolve disorders that make sucking ineffective or painful for the mother.
Click here to elaborate on the importance of integrated obstetric-osteopathic support for breastfeeding on my website.
Osteopath for infants and positional plagiocephaly
Under the term 'flat head' are commonly understood to be all those alterations in the shape of the infant's head caused by incorrect postural attitudes maintained by the infant in the first months of life. In fact, in this period the head of babies grows quickly, but is very mouldable.
The flat head of the newborn baby (also known as positional plagiocephaly) is a much more common problem than people think. The American Academy of Pediatrics estimates that it can occur up to 48% of newborns and most children develop it in the first 2-4 months of life.
Unfortunately, the vast majority of parents do not become aware of this problem until it is too late and the child has already developed it.
This is a pity, because it only takes a few targeted measures to preventing a flat headwithout even having to go to the osteopath to cure it.
Incurring the Positional plagiocephaly has negative consequences economically, on the health of the child and on the stress of the parents.
For this reason, I have decided to share with all of you the recommendations I usually offer to the parents of my young patients to avoid flat-headedness.
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