Osteopaths treat people of all ages — from babies and young children through to older adults. Our osteopaths are qualified to work with babies and children as part of their training, and we bring the same careful, individual approach to every child we see, rather than treating childhood as a separate category with its own set of problems to fix.
Sam has a particular interest in cranial and paediatric osteopathy, and draws on her experience both in practice and as a mother of three.
Osteopaths’ training and regulation
- Osteopaths are statutorily regulated primary healthcare professionals, working across private practice and NHS settings
- Training for osteopaths includes paediatrics at undergraduate level, and many osteopaths — including our own team — bring additional experience and interest in working with babies and children
- We’re trained to screen for medical conditions, and we’ll always tell you plainly if your child needs to see another health professional, such as your GP or health visitor
- We sometimes work alongside local health visitors and midwives where that’s helpful
A gentle approach, suited to your child
A baby’s skeleton is softer and more flexible than an adult’s, so we use correspondingly gentle techniques — most often cranial osteopathy, a subtle, safe and non-manipulative approach that’s often used with young children and newborns. As children grow, we adapt our approach to suit their changing bodies and needs at every stage.
Many parents find these gentle techniques help their baby feel calm and settled during a session.
What we can help with
As with any patient, we’re able to help with the everyday aches, pains, and musculoskeletal issues that can affect anyone — including children and teenagers as they grow, become more active, or pick up the bumps and strains of school and sport. We don’t treat childhood as presenting a distinct set of conditions separate from what any patient might experience; each child is simply assessed as an individual.
What to expect at your child’s appointment
We’ll start by taking a full history, then carry out a gentle physical assessment appropriate to your child’s age. From there, we’ll explain what we’ve found and talk through what might help — whether that’s hands-on treatment, general health and movement advice, or simply reassurance that nothing further is needed.
Osteopaths use a range of techniques depending on what’s appropriate, including gentle manipulation, stretching, soft tissue work and cranial techniques, alongside general health information and self-management advice — all taught and assessed as part of osteopathic training. When assessing your child, we also consider factors beyond the immediate area of concern, including their overall health history and development.
Frequently asked questions
Is osteopathy safe for babies? Yes. We use gentle, non-manipulative techniques such as cranial osteopathy, suited to a baby’s softer, still-developing skeleton, and all our osteopaths are trained to work with this age group.
How old does my child need to be? There’s no lower age limit — we see babies from their first weeks of life through to teenagers, adapting our approach at every stage of development.
What is cranial osteopathy? A gentle, non-manipulative technique that uses very subtle pressure. It’s one of the approaches we may use with babies and young children, and many parents find it a calm, relaxing experience for their baby.
Will you tell me if my child needs to see a GP or health visitor instead? Always. Part of our training is recognising when something falls outside what osteopathy can help with, and we’ll always tell you clearly if that’s the case.
Do you work with health visitors or midwives? We sometimes do, where it’s helpful for your child’s overall care.
If you’d like to talk through whether an osteopathic assessment could be right for your baby or child, call us on 01305 265333 or book online with Sam or one of our other practitioners.
[Book online] [Call us: 01305 265333]
