Children

Posture defects

These are, in a very broad sense, visible changes in the symmetrical position of the body in space, e.g. horizontal positioning of the shoulders and shoulder blades, chest shape, the vertical and horizontal position of the pelvis, length of limbs, etc. Their source most often comes from changes in the main support of our body, i.e. the spine. The physiological curvatures of the spine in the anterior-posterior plane (lordosis and kyphosis) undergoing deepening or shallowing, along with other co-occurring factors, can lead to the formation of scoliosis (non-physiological deviation of the axis of the spine in the right-left plane). These coexisting factors may be, e.g., undiagnosed vision or hearing impairment, sedentary lifestyle, insufficient movement (avoiding physical exercise), excessive weight.

From an osteopathic point of view, even small scoliosis is indifferent to the functioning of the internal organs of the body responsible for maintaining the basic life functions of the developing organism and for its statics and dynamics. What to do if posture defects do not result from congenital bone deformities or other diseases that can lead to the appearance of scoliosis (pediatric or orthopedic examination is necessary to exclude)? In such cases, it is extremely important to take action as soon as possible to restore, as far as possible, the physiological conditions of the functioning of the whole organism in relation to its statics and dynamics.

In contrast to the most common approach to the therapy of posture defects (musculoskeletal) as an osteopath, I also pay attention, and even above all, to internal organs / soft tissues, which are also injured in the event of a posture defect. Persistent changes in the functioning of internal organs / soft tissues, on a feedback basis, maintain the existence of a posture defect. A vicious circle is formed, which becomes more difficult to break with the passage of time. The body of an adolescent man is plastic, therefore, osteopathic work (including the whole body) enables the restoration of proper conditions of current functioning and future development (What does an osteopath do?).

At this point, it is necessary to emphasize the value of preventive treatment (here: in the sense of preventing the deepening of existing changes in body posture), which in the form of movement affecting the overall development of the body (motor activities) should be parallel to osteopathic treatment.

Recurrent otitis media, sinusitis, GDO, bronchitis

With children, even an innocent runny nose can lead to an infection that can affect the sinuses, throat, and tonsils (i.e. the upper respiratory tract), ear, bronchi or lungs. The anatomical structure and spatial location of the throat and ear connection (so-called Eustachian tube) in a child favors the spread of infection, which is easily able to cover several of these structures simultaneously. For a child, such an infection is associated with severe pain and elevated temperature, which requires medical attention in the acute phase of the ailment.

From an osteopathic point of view, the infection is associated with a disruption of normal fluid flow (blood and lymph), in this particular case especially in the neck, throat and craniofacial area. As an osteopath, when affecting the whole body of the child, I can improve the patency of the lymph circulation. It ensures its unhindered flow and thus significantly affects the body’s effectiveness in fighting infection. At the same time, improving blood flow will affect better drug distribution.

At this point, all types of accumulation of fluids (e.g. in the ear) whose mechanism is very similar, should be mentioned. Here, with the help of osteopathic treatment, you can significantly affect the restoration of the physiological state (What does an osteopath do?).

Headaches, stomachaches

Most often, headaches/stomach aches reported by children accompany infections. In situations where getting rid of the ailments without medical intervention is difficult or impossible (e.g. parasitic diseases, appendicitis symptoms, urinary tract infection) osteopathic treatment may be included as a therapy supporting the course of the treatment process, e.g. through visceral therapy (i.e. improving movement) internal organs, preventing the formation of postoperative adhesions, strengthening infection control processes).

However, if headaches/stomach aches are associated with a confirmed medical examination e.g. sinusitis (which is most often accompanied by a runny nose and stuffy nose), then from an osteopathic point of view, in these types of situations you can act in two ways: 1) affecting the circulation of body fluids, 2) improving movement of the facial fascia which affects nasal patency.  (link do: Nawracające zapalenia ucha środkowego, zatok, GDO, oskrzeli). The goal is to eliminate the infection as soon as possible.

Nowadays, headaches/stomachaches appear more often associated with young people’s lifestyle. Low physical activity and the dominant sedentary lifestyle (computer, TV) are conducive to tissue hypoxia. It is due to continuous stay in a closed room and gradual limitation of the free movement of body structures. In an adolescent child, movement is the basis for proper body formation and remains the main factor in preventing postural defects (faulty postures). . Its deficiency may contribute to the loss of elasticity of our body’s connective tissue, i.e. the tissue that connects everything and is responsible for the proper arrangement of its contents in space relative to each other. Osteopathy deals with the visible movements (movements of the limbs, torso) and the ones not visible (movements occurring inside the body). In such a situation, osteopathic work, whose task is to maximally achieve full tissue flexibility and thus the maximum possible freedom of movement, combined with increased motor activity, will allow you to restore the harmonious development of your child (What does an osteopath do?).

Caregivers should be concerned about vomiting and increased temperature accompanying headaches – this requires an immediate medical consultation.

Pain in limbs

The child’s development is associated with constant changes that occur in his body. In addition to what you see (the child is growing), it must not be forgotten that this increase also applies to the structures forming the body from the inside. In order for this process to take place in full harmony, space is needed for the continuous expansion of all body elements.

During growth, children/adolescents may especially experience pain in lower limbs, which is usually associated with the body “looking for” the right load axis. In such situations, osteopathic work, consisting of affecting the entire body of the child, can support the body in these “searches” by providing it with the best conditions for proper growth.  (What does an osteopath do?)

Supportive therapy for emotional disorders

We all know that psyche and soma are one thing. From an osteopathic point of view, the common denominator for psyche and soma is the nervous system. All kinds of stimuli flowing from the surrounding environment, as well as from the inside of the body, have a direct impact on the quality of its functioning. If it is “forced” to work too hard, then in the long run, there may be signs of overload. Usually, they refer to a greater than usual feeling of stimuli of emotional and somatic origin, which in physiological conditions may not be noticeable.

This situation can occur especially in adolescence when we are dealing with the intensive development of the body on a physical and hormonal level.

As an osteopath, by searching for and eliminating restrictions on freedom of movement at the level of tissues and fluids, I can reduce excessive load on the nervous system from the level of soma, which will translate into better functioning at the level of the psyche (What does an osteopath do?).

Excessive excitability

Excessive excitability may testify about, among others difficulty concentrating on a particular task for a long time. Most often it is associated with difficult everyday activities and problems with learning. From an osteopathic point of view, such situations may be caused by persistent “infants” from the neonatal period  (conditions after difficult births) or by too many stimuli from the surrounding environment, reaching the child’s nervous system in an uncontrolled manner.

Osteopathic work in the form of a gentle impact on body structures (including sub-occipital area, meninges) allows you to achieve the effect of reducing the stimulation of the nervous system and thus reducing the symptoms of excessive excitability. (more in: What does an osteopath do?).

It is also extremely important to refer to the child’s diet and avoid excessive supply of simple sugars, especially in the form of sweet drinks or candy bars. (About nutrition)

All issues discussed do not contain a full explanation of the problem and if in doubt, please contact the osteopath by phone.