Recent study osteopathy helps infants to be completely free of side effects

Osteopathy helps infants with no side effects

A study has found that osteopathy improves between 50% and 80% of the five most common problems that infants have with parents when they visit osteopaths. These include infant asymmetry, sleeping and feeding disorders, flattened back of the head, and excessive crying.

An osteopath can track and treat dysfunctions in the body. In this way, the complaints can be alleviated lasting. (Image: karelnoppe / fotolia.com)

The multicentre observational study of the Academy of Osteopathy (AFO) and the German Institute for Health Research involved 1,196 infants in the first year of life treated in 151 practices of German osteopaths.

It is noteworthy that out of a total of more than 3,200 treatments, no single case has been found to have a serious side effect potentially relevant and / or prolonged for the baby's health.

About 1,200 infants with infant asymmetry, sleeping and feeding disorders, flattened back of the head and excessive crying were treated on average twice to three times in participating osteopathic practices with special additional qualifications and many years of experience. Central measure was the judgment of the parents, e.g. by assessing symptom severity using Numerical Rating Scales (NRS 0-10).

In idiopathic infant asymmetry, the percent improvement between start and end of treatment was between 78-82%. The questions asked were the strength of the asymmetry, the eye contact with the preferred side, the rotation to the preferred side and the asymmetrical position. The severity of symptoms in infants with feeding disorders decreased by 77% during the course of treatment. The symptoms of "excessive" crying improved by 70%, which was a considerable relief for the parents. Sleep disorders improved by 56%. In the case of plagiocephaly, the head circumference of the child's skull was measured with a "craniometer" and the clinically customary cranial vault index (CVAI) calculated therefrom. After osteopathic treatment it improved by 56%.

Numerous exact results for the so-called OSTINF STUDY will be published later this year. Further intervention studies are planned. (Sb)