We are thrilled to be offering our expert advice and helping the wider community understand what cranial osteopathy can do for babies. Our latest article has been published on the Woolworths Baby and Toddler Club website - click here to read it.

Did you know that osteopathic treatment may be able to help sleeping and behavioral issues in babies and kids?

Have you recently been on a flight , even a short, 1 hour domestic flight and your little one has stopped sleeping properly?

'Has your little one recently had a growth spurt or a fever?'

Are they more cranky or tearful than usual or just 'not themselves' and you have no idea why?

Over the sixteen years I have been treating babies and children, I have had Mums bring their little ones to me over and over for the above reasons and have experienced it in my own little girl. Time and time again there have been areas of tightness or irritation in their bodies, which, once treated , have led to a happier, calmer bub or toddler, and improved sleep. As an adult, you can understand if you are in pain or discomfort, or simply 'don't feel right' and are able to explain this clearly to others. Babies and children cannot do that, so we need to follow their cues and, as parents trust our instincts that they may need a little extra help.

I still remember treating my bub at 2am one morning as she had been struggling with teething for hours and the baby Panadol hadn't really helped. It settled her for the rest of the night. It has also reached the stage, now she is nearly six, that my husband (who isn't an osteopath), will say ' Sharon, I have no idea what's wrong with Asha at the moment, PLEASE will you give her a treatment ', or she will ask me herself!

Don't struggle, trust your gut and get them checked. If you're unsure, CALL me for a chat on 0414 529203.

Sharon

Sharon Franklin has been helping pregnant women and babies for over 14 years. She is a full trained paediatric and cranial osteopath operating practices in the UK, NZ and Australia and also worked at the world renowned Osteopathic Centre for children in the UK. She is also a trainee tutor with Australia’s leading post-grad cranial foundation – SCTF of ANZ.

Join Sharon for a complementary morning tea, learn some tips and meet other mums

• Learn simple hand on ways to help settle your baby
• Help overcome constipation and reflux with gentle massage
• Calming techniques to sooth and relax your baby
• How to identify the signs of tiredness

Date: Wednesday 30th September
10am – 11am
North Shore Osteopaths
185 Condamine Street
Balgowlah NSW 2093 (free parking in council car park behind)

Booking is essential. Reply to info@nso.com.au or contact (02) 9907 8919 

Reflux is a common condition in babies that most mums have either heard about or experienced. It involves the baby vomiting after most feedings and results in upset babies and worried parents:- not to mention an extraordinary amount of washing!

Silent reflux, however, is much harder to detect and can result in a very unsettled baby.

In silent reflux, a small amount of stomach acid and contents flow back into the oesophagus. However, unlike classic reflux, there is rarely any vomiting.

The discomfort caused by the stomach acid irritating the upper gut can cause the following signs and symptoms:

• Irritability
• Difficulty settling
• Frequent waking
• Can only be comforted by being in an upright position, especially after feeding
• Arching the back
• Noisy breathing

Sharon Franklin of North Shore Osteopaths has seen hundreds of mums who, after weeks with a distressed baby and the uncertainty of what is causing this, have finally been given the diagnosis of silent reflux.

What can you do?   

• Small and frequent feeds with the head elevated, and continuing an upright position after feeding.
• Dietary sensitivities should be considered and explored. (If breast feeding, mothers may have to try an elimination diet to pin-point the irritant.)
• Homeopathic treatment or gentle antacids can also help calm the inflammation in the gut
• Osteopathic Treatment

Why Osteopathy can help

The irritation of the gut also causes local muscle and joint soreness and tightness in the area of the spine between the baby’s shoulder blades. This then sets up a vicious cycle where one maintains the other. Osteopathic treatment helps to break this cycle, as well as gently releasing any tension in the base of the skull which may be irritating the main nerve to the gut.

Sharon Franklin and her team are skilled in Paediatric Osteopathy and have a highly developed sense of touch. They use this, combined with a detailed birth case history and structural examination to determine the extent and location of any areas of restriction (strain patterns) in the baby's body. They then use extremely gentle manual techniques to resolve these strains in order to relieve discomfort and improve the body's function. This will allow the different body systems - the nervous system, the immune system, the muscular system and the circulatory system - to work effectively and optimally.

To find out more about Paediatric Osteopathy and silent reflux, ring for an appointment with North Shore Osteopaths on (02) 9907 8919 or visit our website www.nso.com.au.