Osteopathic treatment for babies 

Dr. Michelle Sherriff uses a very gentle form of osteopathic treatment for babies called Biodynamic Osteopathy. This type of treatment allows your baby to come to a point of stillness, allowing an unwinding and rebalancing of their system.  Michelle has undertaken additional post-graduate study in Biodynamic Osteopathy in the Cranial Field (Phase I-VII), paediatric osteopathy and further study in supporting the breastfeeding dyad with osteopathy.

Osteopaths are trained to take a detailed history and assessment of your baby to identify areas of strain, tension or restriction in the musculoskeletal system. Physical forces on your baby’s body in utero and during birth may cause strains and stresses, particularly of the cranial/facial bones, cervical spine, shoulders and pelvis.  Medical complications and procedures such as forceps or caesarian delivery may also affect healthy function and growth. 

During assessment we look at:

• Primitive reflexes and neurological evaluation

• Orthopaedic and osteopathic evaluation

• Developmental milestones, including social and emotional, cognitive, communication and physical

Osteopaths work in conjunction with general practitioners, maternal health nurses, lactation consultants and paediatricians and can make a referral when necessary.  

Treatment may be of benefit for your baby in the following circumstances:

• Asymmetrical head shape, plagiocephaly

• Baby lies with their head positioned to one side infant torticollis

• Difficulty latching or feeding problems 

• Inability to feed from both sides equally

• Colic, reflux or digestive problems 

• Becomes distressed in carseats or baby carriers

• Restlessness, excessive crying, inability to settle 

• Movement difficulties

Osteopathy For Children

As children grow, they learn to use their body in amazing ways and generally recover well from bumps, falls and strains.  However, children may start to complain of musculoskeletal pain when there are unresolved strains, particularly through periods of growth. 

During assessment osteopaths look at: 

• Orthopaedic and osteopathic evaluation 

• Neurological evaluation

• Developmental milestones

Dr. Michelle Sherriff works in conjunction with general practitioners and paediatricians and can make a referral when necessary

Osteopathy is suitable for younger and older children and may be of benefit in the following conditions: 

• Scoliosis (S or C shaped spine) 

• back and neck pain

• headaches 

• postural strain

• shoulder pain

• knee pain (e.g. Osgood Schlatters, patella tracking disorder) 

• Heel and foot pain (e.g. ankle sprain, Sever’s Disease, achilles tendonitis)

• Sports injuries

• Strains associated with falls 

• physical presentation of emotional stress

osteopathic treatment for children

Osteopathic treatment aims to restore normal function to optimise healthy growth and development. Gentle techniques assist your child’s own capacity to heal.  

• Biodynamic osteopathy in the cranial field

• Soft tissue massage and stretching 

• Counterstain (indirect myofascial release) 

• Functional technique (indirect joint release) 

• Lymphatic drainage

• Joint articulation 

• Muscle energy technique (MET)