01/18/2023
One of the questions I am asked is, “Why would an infant need treatment?”
Being born in even ‘textbook’ cases is quite the event. Just ask anyone who has had a baby or been around a birth. Not only does the infant go from a water environment to an air environment, but they are also exposed to powerful forces. In short, we are compressed and squeezed through the birth canal and only become ‘expanded and stretched’ back out once we are out.
Even if we are perfectly aligned during labour and delivery, there can be compression left over in different areas of the body. Not to mention cases of pausing, stalling, extremely long or quick deliveries as well.
What can these left over compressions look like:
Compression left over near the upper spine (C0/C1) can result in feeding difficulties like poor latch and excessive spit up. Compression left over near the diaphragm can result in reflux, colic or even trouble with tummy time.
My job as an Osteopathic Manual Therapist is to assess and treat these areas of compression to help with symptoms your infant may be experiencing now and to prevent future ones from showing up.
