What is osteopathy for children and youth?
Osteopathy for children is a gentle non-invasive way to address whole body health, and musculoskeletal issues.
Kids, like adults, can experience muscle and joint aches and pains. Especially as they are growing, exploring, pushing their limits, and playing sports. Osteopathic manual therapy can improve function, support development, promote health, and enhance the quality of life for children. It is a great opportunity to address issues as they arise, rather than letting them develop into something bigger.
Osteopathic manual therapy for children looks very similar to OMT for adults, but it is tailored to their growing bodies. Children are growing! Metabolically that means their bodies are prepped to build new tissues (and consume a lot of energy!). This anabolic state that kids are primarily in means that they are also primed for tissue repair. As such, there are some treatment tools that are better for children than others. But! Every body is unique, and has specific needs. As I assess and treat I refine my treatments based on what is working, and what is not working. Want to know more about osteopathic manual therapy? Check out my page osteopathy for an overview.
It’s not just about fixing problems! Osteopathic manual therapy is a great way to maintain health and prevent small injuries from being big injuries. If the body has a few asymmetries, or restrictions, a small injury could land in an already weak anatomical spot. This could turn into a big injury, or take longer to heal than expected. A few weeds are easier to take care of than an overgrown forest!
I love working with children, often I find they are still in touch with their bodies and open to sharing their somatic experiences. They are super smart and this helps make my job super easy! Sometimes younger kids can be a bit wiggly, but that just reminds me to laugh! If you’ve been around kids and growing people you know they are autonomous and able to make their own decisions. This is super important to me. I love it when I see a kid in my office, but if they say no, the appointment is over. I’m happy to chat with them, book a follow up, see if they change their mind, but at the end of the day it's their body and their decision.
What can osteopathy help?
Sports injuries
Digestive issues
Constipation
Sleep issues
Spinal Asymmetries
Differences in shoulder height
Tilted head
Frequent tripping
Uneven wear of shoes
Joint, neck, and back pain
What to expect from a children and youth treatment?
We will start by chatting about your child’s health history, including injuries, surgeries, their birth, overall health and lifestyle.
Then I’ll do a thorough assessment, I’ll check for big and small motion preferences, asymmetries, and muscular and fascial imbalances. Treatment is tailored to the person, considering their age, activities, their symptoms, and my structural findings. This is to ensure that your kid gets the care that's just right for them.
Once we have a clear picture of what's going on, we'll chat about next steps.
What to expect and how to care after the treatment?
After a treatment, your child might feel a bit tired, or sore. This is because treatments initiate physiological changes - aka the healing process - in your kid’s body. Think of all the energy they use growing, treatment doubles down on this process and can be tiring!
To help your child make the most of the treatment, I recommend some well-deserved rest for 1-2 days after the treatment. Keep the sports, rough housing, and tumbling to a minimum. After 24h, you can listen how they are feeling and let them get back at it. Don't worry, we will chat about specifics in person.
As we move forward, we'll discuss follow-up treatments, and if they are needed.
Follow Ups
How often your child should come in for follow up treatments really depends on their unique story. Their history, age, and the activities they're into all play a role.
Often kids don’t need a lot of treatment, they are very good at healing! Children who are in sports can benefit from monthly, or seasonal tune-ups to help them perform at their best, recover faster, and avoid injuries.