Why Should My Baby See an Osteopath?

As a parent, ensuring your baby’s health and comfort is paramount. While traditional pediatric care addresses many aspects of infant health, some parents explore complementary therapies to support their baby’s well-being. Osteopathy is a form of manual therapy that focuses on the body’s musculoskeletal system and is one of the treatment methods that many parents use today. But why should your baby see an osteopath? Let’s delve into the potential benefits, supported by recent research.

Understanding Osteopathy for Infants

Osteopathy is a holistic approach that emphasizes the interrelationship between the body’s structure and function. For infants, osteopathic practitioners use gentle, specially adapted non-invasive techniques to assess and address areas of tension or imbalance. Through gentle pressure, rhythmic movements, stretching, massage, exercises, and guidance, the aim is to bring the baby’s body into balance to support the body’s natural healing processes and promote optimal development. Potential Benefits of Osteopathic Treatment for Babies

Relief from Infantile Colic and Excessive Crying

Infantile colic, characterized by prolonged periods of unexplained, inconsolable excessive crying, affects many newborns. A recent randomized controlled trial found that infants receiving osteopathic treatment exhibited significant reductions in daily crying time and intensity. Moreover, parents reported decreased stress levels and increased confidence in soothing their babies. 1-3

Improvement in Breastfeeding Difficulties

Feeding challenges, such as latching issues or poor sucking reflexes, can be distressing for both infants and parents. A study involving mother-infant pairs demonstrated that osteopathic interventions led to enhanced breastfeeding experiences. Mothers reported improved infant latching, increased feeding comfort, and better overall feeding efficiency. 4-6

Alleviation of Sleep Disturbances

Sleep is crucial for an infant’s growth and development. Research indicates that osteopathic treatment may positively influence sleep patterns in babies. In the aforementioned trial, infants receiving osteopathic care showed improvements in sleep duration and quality, contributing to better rest for both babies and parents. 7-9

Addressing Physical Asymmetries and Plagiocephaly

Physical asymmetries, such as a preference for turning the head to one side or flat spots on the head (plagiocephaly and brachycephaly), are commonly seen in newborns and cause concerns for the parents. The OSTINF study, a large-scale observational research project, found that osteopathic treatment significantly improved these conditions. Parents observed enhanced symmetry and head shape following osteopathic interventions. 10-12  At Q KLINIK, we use Skullycare to measure your baby’s skull for asymmetry or flatness. It is an innovative app designed to assist paediatric osteopaths and physiotherapists in measuring and analyzing the skull shape of infants to customize the treatment, exercises, and advice.

Safety and Considerations

Safety is a paramount concern when considering any treatment for your baby. Osteopathic practitioners trained in pediatric care employ gentle techniques tailored to infants’ delicate structures. At Q KLINIK, all paediatric practitioners are authorised healthcare professionals with experience, education, and numerous advanced courses in infant treatment. To ensure that the treatment is as safe and effective as possible, always choose an osteopath with experience in treating infants. Ensure that the osteopath your baby visits has specialized training in paediatric osteopathy, postgraduate courses on treating children, and not just the basic osteopathic education. When this is the case, osteopathy is a very safe form of treatment for your child, as shown in the OSTINF study, which reported no severe adverse reactions among over 3,000 osteopathic treatments administered to infants, suggesting a favourable safety profile. 1,13

Can the Osteopaths at Q KLINIK help my baby?

Whether you are looking for a professional preventive baby check or your baby is suffering from specific symptoms, Q KLINIK is the place to find help.

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Baby Check-up

A baby check-up with preventive osteopathy offers your baby the most fantastic start in life. The infant will undergo a complete, gentle, and safe examination and, if necessary, receive treatment for various imbalances that could lead to future issues. You are guided in exercises that strengthen the child’s motor skills and advised on aspects of the infant’s well-being.

Conditions most seen

Infants can present with many symptoms after the restricted conditions in the uterus and the powerful forces the infant is exposed to at birth, both during normal and complicated births, contributing to the occurrence of pain, tension, mobility restrictions and imbalances in the infant. Here is a list of some of the most common. You can always Q KLINIK if your baby suffers from a condition not on the list.

Conclusion

Osteopathy presents a gentle, non-invasive approach that may support your baby’s health in various ways, from alleviating colic and feeding difficulties to improving sleep and addressing physical asymmetries. While more extensive research is ongoing, current studies suggest that osteopathic treatment can be a valuable adjunct to traditional pediatric care. As always, collaborate with your healthcare providers to make informed decisions tailored to your baby’s well-being.

References

  1. Carnes, Dawn & Plunkett, Austin & Ellwood, Julie & Miles, Clare. (2018). Manual therapy for unsettled, distressed and excessively crying infants: a systematic review and meta-analyses. BMJ Open. 8. e019040. 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-019040.
  2. Hayden, C., & Mullinger, B. (2006). A preliminary assessment of the impact of cranial osteopathy for the relief of infantile colic. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 12(2), 83–90. Link
  3. Schwerla, F., et al. (2025). Osteopathic treatment of infants with infantile colic/excessive crying: a prospective, multicentric, randomized controlled trial and nested observational trial. BMC Pediatrics.
  4. Kirsty Greenwood, Roger Engel, Sandra Grace, Osteopathic intervention for infants with breastfeeding difficulty: A retrospective case series, International Journal of Osteopathic Medicine, Volume 47,2023, 100652, ISSN 1746-0689, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijosm.2022.11.005.
  5. Le Roy, Juliette & Xhignesse, Marianne & Gaboury, Isabelle. (2016). Efficacy of an Osteopathic Treatment Coupled With Lactation Consultations for Infants’ Biomechanical Sucking Difficulties. Journal of human lactation : official journal of International Lactation Consultant Association. 33. 890334416679620. 10.1177/0890334416679620.
  6. Parodi, A., Ruffa, R., De Felice, V., Sartini, M., Cristina, M. L., Martino, B., Bianco, F., Di Stefano, R., & Mazzella, M. (2024). The Efficacy of Early Osteopathic Therapy in Restoring Proper Sucking in Breastfed Infants: Preliminary Findings from a Pilot Study. Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland), 12(10), 961. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12100961
  7. Castejón-Castejón, M. A., Núñez-Nagy, S., Zuil-Escobar, J. C., & Martínez-Cepa, C. B. (2023). Efficacy of osteopathic manual therapy for infant colic: A randomized clinical trial. BMC Pediatrics, 23(1), 578. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-023-04314-9
  8. Lanaro, D., Ruffini, N., Manzotti, A., Lista, G., & Cerritelli, F. (2017). Osteopathic manipulative treatment showed reduction of length of stay and improvement of gastrointestinal function in preterm infants: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Medicine, 96(4), e6405. https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000006405
  9. Schwerla, F., Resch, K.-L., Brandmaier, R., Heine, H., Kirchner-Bockholt, H., & Seifert, G. (2025). Osteopathic treatment of infants with infantile colic/excessive crying: A prospective, multicentric, randomized controlled trial and nested observational trial. BMC Pediatrics. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-024-04563-0
  10. Puget, C., Guillaud, A., Amoretti, M., & Darbois, N. (2024). Positional plagiocephaly: Results of the osteopathic treatment of 424 infants. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 77, 102991. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2023.102991
  11. Hufschmid, C., Schnider, M., & Schmid, M. (2023). Effects of osteopathic manipulative treatment on children with plagiocephaly in the context of current pediatric practice: A retrospective chart review. Journal of Osteopathic Medicine, 123(5), 343–351. https://doi.org/10.1515/jom-2023-0168
  12. Cerritelli, F., Esteves, J., & Lanaro, D. (2025). Early osteopathic manipulative treatment to prevent cranial positional deformities: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, 33, 24–32. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbmt.2025.01.002
  13. Schwerla, Florian & Daake, Boris & Moeckel, Eva & Resch, Karl. (2021). Osteopathic Treatment of Infants in Their First Year of Life: A Prospective Multicenter Observational Study (OSTINF Study). Complementary medicine research. 28. 1-12. 10.1159/000514413.

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