Osteopathy for Children : County Osteopaths : Cranial Osteopathic Clinic : Joanna Young, Lynette Topham & Jonathan Mussen : Osteopath Worcester, Malvern, Birmingham, Droitwich, Pershore, Bromsgrove, Evesham, Tewkesbury, Kidderminster, Redditch, Halesowen, Stourbridge

Irritability, mood swings, head-banging, violent outbursts, excessive tantrums or tearfulness may be natural expressions of a child’s personality. On the other hand they may be signs that the child is suffering from physical or mental stress. Treating physical stress in children is a Cranial Osteopath’s specialty and can help a great deal with problem behaviour.

Children and adults with recurrent ear, nose, throat or sinus problems appear to suffer from one or both of the following: poor drainage of the ear, nose, throat and sinus areas and / or intolerance to dairy foods. Poor drainage is usually associated with a poor flexibility in the skull and can be treated very successfully with Cranial Osteopathy.

Growing pains, recurrent headaches or stomach ache, period pains and general aches and pains in children all suggest the presence of stiffness in the skeleton that is interfering with natural function. In many cases it the cause stems from excessive pressure on the child's head during the birth process but there may be other causes such as accidents and illnesses. For these sorts of issues its best to call us to discuss each individual case. Stress and inherited family tendencies must also be born in mind.

Jaw joint pain or clicking can be a sign of imbalance in the muscles that control the jaw joint. Cranial Osteopathy has a good success rate when dealing with pain of this origin. However, overuse of the jaw joint from chewing pencils, chewing gum, gritting or grinding the teeth or having to talk a lot (an occupational hazard for teachers) can cause jaw pain and clicking which will not improve very much until the overuse has been remedied, where possible. In addition a bite guard from your dentist will stop you from grinding your teeth at night and give your jaws a rest. These really do work and are worth a try in all cases where are jaw overuse is the problem.

In the UK all qualified osteopaths have DO (Diploma in Osteopathy – the four-year course completed before 1992), or BSc (Ost) (Degree in Osteopathy – the four-year course completed during or after 1992) or similar, after their names. Most osteopaths will have had four year full time or six year mixed attendance mode training. In May 2000 the Osteopaths Act came into effect to maintain standards within the profession. Since that date no-one has been allowed to practice as an osteopath unless they are registered with the General Osteopathic Council (GOsC). You can only register if you have either completed a recognized training course after 2000 or trained before 2000 and undergone testing to show

competence. Osteopathy was the first profession of complementary therapists to achieve statutory regulation.

Cranial Osteopathy is taught alongside all other types of osteopathy at undergraduate level. However, developing the skills required to use Cranial techniques to any degree takes further post-graduate training and practice. There are currently no mandatory courses for this specialization the amount of further training undertaken being at the discretion of the individual osteopath.

Please see the section entitled About Us to see how Joanna, Lynette and Jonathan trained.

Cranial Osteopathy is a gentle form of Osteopathic treatment ideal for the treatment of children.

Treatment is soothing and enjoyable and can help with sleep difficulties, recurrent infections (e.g. ear, nose, throat, chest) behavioural problems, learning difficulties, recurrent headaches and stomach aches, painful joints, growing pains, period pain and sports injuries. It can also help to speed up orthodontic treatment and ease discomfort associated with it.

Toddlers and younger children play throughout treatment without turning a hair, older children listen to stories on CD just drift off to sleep.

Osteopathy is a safe and natural approach to health care for all life stages. Osteopaths can treat babies and children for complaints attributed to mechanical strains acquired during their gestation or during the birth process.

No. Osteopaths treat children of all ages, and even adults can be treated for birth-related problems however, it is easier to treat birth-related trauma the younger you are.

If the child has had any serious illnesses, febrile convulsions, ear, nose or throat problems, or accidents since birth, these may also have had effects that can be diagnosed and treated at the same time.

Dairy intolerance (sensitivity to anything containing cows milk) is fairly common, and apparently even more so among Asians and Afro-Caribbean’s than among Caucasians. Symptoms may include excessive catarrh production (showing as glue ear, a constantly runny or blocked nose, recurrent sinusitis or chest infections), headaches, tiredness, constipation or diarrhoea, bloating and indigestion.

Sufferers may either love or hate dairy products. Some already instinctively avoid it.

If you think you or your child may be suffering from a dairy intolerance you could try a dairy-free trial for a period of two weeks. If at the end of this trial period you have noticed an improvement in your or their health then you may well have identified a dairy intolerance.

Headaches and migraine may be alleviated by Cranial Osteopathy. Treatment is most likely to help you if your pain is at least partly due to a build-up of head, neck or back tension or associated with present or past ear, nose, throat or sinus problems. Tension headaches can escalate into “sicky headaches” or migraine if untreated.

Cranial Osteopathy can benefit children with learning difficulties as diverse as dyspraxia, dyslexia, Downs syndrome, autistic spectrum disorders, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, concentration difficulties, ADHD and hydrocephalus. This is because any underlying tightness in the skeleton or neural tissues will tend to increase the child’s difficulties.

The osteopath will ask in detail about various aspects of your or your child's symptoms and general health. A structural examination may be undertaken, requiring you to undress to your underwear for a few minutes whilst the osteopath checks your posture or assesses body movements. It may be necessary to carry out simple tests such as taking blood pressure or testing reflexes. Most patients come to an osteopath without having first consulted their doctor. Osteopaths are trained to ensure that no serious problems are overlooked.

The cranial osteopathic approach is gentle and should not cause undue discomfort, although assessment and treatment may require the handling of painful areas. The cranial approach involves a gentle hold of one of many boney areas where the cranial rhythm can most easily be found. This allows the osteopath to diagnose disturbance in the cranial rhythm and treat it with very gentle pressure. Most people find this treatment relaxing. Some patients experience soreness after treatment, similar to that felt after unaccustomed exercise. This usually lasts no more than 24 - 48 hours. Patients may also feel tired.

Cranial Osteopaths are trained to feel a very subtle, rhythmical shape change that is present in all body tissues. This is called Involuntary Motion or the Cranial Rhythm. The movement is of very small amplitude; therefore it takes practitioners with a very finely developed sense of touch to feel it. First described in the early 1900s by Dr William G. Sutherland with its existence being confirmed in a series of laboratory tests in the 1960s and '70s, this rhythm is now being investigated using Laser Doppler scanning.

Tension in the body disrupts the cranial rhythm. Practitioners compare what your rhythm is doing to what they consider ideal. This shows them what stresses and strains your body is under at present, and what tensions it may be carrying as a result of its past history. It also gives them an insight into the overall condition of your body, for example if it is healthy, or stressed or tired.