The three common things babies experience after treatment are they might poop (because the nerves going to their colon are freed up), they might be hungry/thirsty, and they might be sleepy. Many parents report that their babies slept really well after treatment.

Yes, osteopathic treatment is safe for neonates and children as they grow older. I like to show parents on their hands the type of pressure I would use on their babies to reassure them treatment will not hurt their baby.

The helmet puts pressure on one part of the head and leaves space for the other part of the head to grow into. Each bone of the skull grows from the center called an ossification center. Helmets, when they’re holding parts of the skull still, can create strains in the individual bones as they’re growing out from the ossification center. Osteopathic treatment avoids creating strains in the bones. Most importantly, osteopathic treatment addresses the root cause of why the head became misshapen in the first place, something the helmet does not do, as well as reshapes the head. The head is a continuum, and osteopathic treatment can also address changes in facial asymmetries, like when one eye is smaller or cheek is bigger or ears are misaligned.

When performed by a physician trained in infant care, osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) is gentle and generally well-tolerated. I don’t use high-velocity thrusts on babies, ever. Published neonatal and infant series report good tolerance; we have never had any patient (or parent) who thought their child was in harm’s way.

OMT can still benefit your child or infant, even if they aren’t experiencing any health issues or illness at the present time. Osteopathic manipulative treatments can include supportive therapy which can aid with your child’s growth and development. For example, OMT can help in supporting your child’s muscles and coordination as they learn to walk. It can also help in easing teething pain or growing pain that happen during growth spurts. 

Our experienced team here at Osteopathic Healing Hands are dedicated to compassionate care for patients of all ages. For the very best in osteopathic pediatric care, or if you have any further questions, get in touch with one of our highly skilled team members. Give us a call on (713) 527-8499 to get started today.

While every patient is different, studies have shown newborn children treated with OMT experienced:

• Reduction in plagiocephaly (flat spots on baby’s heads, which are more common these days with baby’s being advised to only sleep on their backs) – osteopathic manipulative treatment for flat head in baby’s has proven very effective with extremely noticeable results. 
• Reduction in torticolis (where the baby’s head prefers to look in one direction only).
• Improved breast-feeding.
• Reduction in infantile colic (inconsolable crying).
• Reduction in otitis media (middle ear infections).
• Reduction in reflux
• Improved asthma symptoms.
• Improved postural symmetry in infants.

For a list of articles supporting OMT, please click here.

OMT can treat a huge range of pediatric conditions to relieve your baby such as discomfort and ongoing pain. These special treatments focus primarily on supporting and balancing your child’s nervous and musculoskeletal systems. The neuromuscular system plays a very important role in keeping the rest of your infant’s body systems in balance. Changes, abnormalities, or dysfunction of the musculoskeletal system can have a huge impact on other organs and systems of your baby’s body.

Here at Osteopathic Healing Hands, Dr Payel Banik uses her specialized training to improve the health and well-being of her pediatric patients. As an osteopathic doctor, she encompasses a complete system of health care that can transform her young patients as a whole person. 

Osteopathic manipulative therapy (OMT) entails a very practical and hands-on approach towards improving the physical health of your infants. Gentle pressure is applied to your child’s muscle and joints with an aim of balancing the body’s structure. This aids in increasing circulation, relieving inflammation, and facilitating the body’s ability to naturally heal itself. OMT helps the systems of the body function together to treat and prevent injury, illness, and further health issues.

How many of us have felt sold a bag of goods searching for what we believe is in the best interest for our children?  We sometimes hear heartbreaking stories and am proud to be a beacon of hope.

Typical searches might start with something like this:

• “I am obsessing over my child’s head because I feel  embarrassed of people staring.”
• “I want to make sure glasses and sports helmets will fit on my child’s head when they grow up.”
• “I’m afraid my daughter won’t be able to put her hair up in a ponytail”
• “I am frustrated that my baby can’t suck or latch on the breast well and I have tried a lot of different things.”
• “I feel like a failure as a mommy with my child’s flat head.”
• “I feel like it’s my fault my baby’s  head shape is like this because I held him/her  a certain way”
• “I am worried the head tilt/preference to look to one side will interfere with developmental milestones”
• “I always wondered if she was going to be able to be able to live a normal life and learn. I didn’t want her being left behind in school”
• “I have been looking for an alternative to the cranial helmet”
• “I am looking to find a holistic alternative to having my E.N.T. put tubes in my child’s ears for the continual ear infections ”

“My baby just seems really uncomfortable and fussy”

I invite you to learn more about the different conditions we can assist newborns and children with by using just our hands. For the skeptics, feel free to look at the published peer reviewed journal articles documenting the scientific details. I want you to be educated and have cross referenced all my claims on this website for your ease.