Children's Osteopathy Hackney, East London.

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Book with Ben

Children never stand still but an experienced paediatric osteopath can help them adapt to the changes they are going through.

Ben Katz, osteopath

I have an MSc in Paediatric Osteopathy and I am a Senior Osteopath at the Osteopathic Centre for Children. I led the development of national guidance for osteopaths who work with children.

  • 20+ years in practice
  • MSc in Paediatric Osteopathy
  • OCC Senior Osteopath
  • GOsC Registered Osteopath

What does a children's osteopath offer?

I offer cranial osteopathy for children in Hackney, East London. Here's what you can expect:

  • Expert insight

    I will help you make sense of your child's symptoms and dig deeper to find the root of the problem.

  • Personalised care

    I will listen to your story to understand what your child is going through and work with you to figure out what they need.

  • The human touch

    I will gently support your child to relax so they can find their way back to their natural state of balance.

Both my children come out of the sessions much more comfortable, calm and relaxed.

Mylene Sylvestre

What can a children's osteopath help with?

Osteopathy is a holistic, person-centred approach that focuses on promoting health rather than treating named conditions.

Andrew Taylor Still, founder of osteopathy

"To find health should be the object of the doctor.
Anyone can find disease."

Andrew Taylor Still
Founder of Osteopathy

Children's bodies are constantly adapting to growth and development, as well as the accidents, injuries and illnesses that happen along the way. Many of the issues children face will resolve on their own in time — but the tension that builds up can sometimes make this more difficult than it needs to be. Osteopathy won't solve all of their problems — but helping them to let go of what they're holding can often make a profound difference.

How do I know if my child will benefit from seeing an osteopath?

For many of the issues children face, the associated tension can sometimes make the problem more difficult to bear. Here are some of the things you can look out for:

Muscular tension

Just like adults, many children carry more tension in their bodies than they need. There are a range of possible reasons for this — some of which are outside the scope of osteopathy — but the tension itself is something I can often help with. If your child seems tense or uncomfortable, it may be worth bringing them for an assessment.

Restricted movement

Restricted movement in the spine or other joints is a common finding in children, and can contribute to a range of other issues. If you think your child could be moving more freely, this may be something I can help with.

Postural issues

Asymmetry and postural imbalance can occasionally indicate something more serious, but most of the time they reflect the kind of minor musculoskeletal issues that osteopathy can help with. If you think your child may benefit, I'd be happy to explore it with you.

How an osteopath can help

I use gentle osteopathic techniques to address muscle tension and restricted movement, alongside individually tailored exercises and advice on strategies you can use at home.

Ben uses very gentle touch. My son seems to enjoy the sessions as he is always very relaxed afterwards.

Anina Thiel

What happens in a children's osteopathy session?

Listening to your story

If you bring your child to see me, I will make time for you to tell your story so I can fully appreciate what your child has been through and what led you to seek my help.

Observing your child's movement and posture

I'll pay careful attention to how your child holds themselves. I'll assess their posture and gently check how freely their body moves. This can give me important clues about how they feel and any tension they might be holding.

Identifying the cause

I will use my hands to gently assess where your child is holding tension, what impact it's having and what kind of support it needs to resolve. If indicated, I may also use standard clinical tests like checking their reflexes or listening to their chest.

Helping you make sense of what's happening

There are many reasons why children struggle. I'll use my clinical knowledge and experience to help you understand what your child is going through and figure out what kind of support they need.

Helping your child to let go

The aim of treatment is to help your child be more comfortable. I'll gently support their body so the parts that are tense can begin to let go.

Beyond the clinic

Alongside the treatment, I provide individually tailored advice on exercises or strategies you can use at home. If there's something that requires further investigation or another kind of treatment, I may recommend that you see another health professional or discuss it with your GP.

Ben is an exceptionally skilful and caring osteopath and I highly recommend him.

Dawn Thein

What is paediatric osteopathy?

Cranial osteopathy is a gentle treatment that promotes health through therapeutic touch. It is the manual therapy treatment of choice for children because it is such a gentle approach. Despite the name, its principles and techniques can be applied to the whole body. Unlike massage therapists and other alternative practitioners, osteopaths are highly qualified, NHS-recognised Allied Health Professionals with their own government-appointed regulator, the General Osteopathic Council.

How does children's osteopathy work?

Much of the tension we experience in everyday life comes from the adaptations we have made to things that have happened to us in the past. Children's bodies are constantly adapting to growth and development, as well as the accidents, injuries and illnesses that happen along the way. This can be challenging at times, so many children can benefit from some help to resolve the minor stresses and strains that can occur as a result.

Children have an amazing ability to compensate and many of the issues they face will resolve on their own in time. However, as the tension in their bodies mounts up over the years, it can start to compromise their capacity for self-maintenance and repair. Addressing any unresolved strains early can help to avoid problems later on.

What does a paediatric osteopath do?

Paediatric osteopaths are experts at identifying unresolved tension and supporting children to let go of it so their bodies can get back to working as nature intended. They apply a modern scientific understanding of developmental anatomy, physiology and psychology to the use of therapeutic touch. Cranial osteopaths use their hands to identify areas of tension or imbalance in the child's body and try to make sense of where it's come from, what impact it's having and what kind of support it needs to resolve. The treatment is very gentle and most children seem to find it relaxing.

More about how I work

Ben’s bedside manner is brilliant. He is kind and gentle and I felt very cared for, in a professional and compassionate way.

Kat Dixon
Read more of my reviews on Google

Ben Katz

BOst, MSc, PgCert, FSCCO, FHEA

Ben Katz, osteopath

I believe that osteopathy can make a meaningful difference to every child, whatever challenges they face with their health.

I've been practising children's osteopathy in London since 2004 and I enjoy working with families from all walks of life. I am a Senior Osteopath at the Osteopathic Centre for Children, an internationally renowned centre of excellence for paediatric osteopathy. I have extensive experience working with babies and children of all ages, including at the OCC's service for premature babies in the NICU at Barnet Hospital.

As a faculty member at the Sutherland Cranial College of Osteopathy, I work with osteopaths who are training to specialise in cranial osteopathy. I am also a tutor at the annual Biobasics event in the UK, which introduces osteopaths to James Jealous' renowned nine year Biodynamics of Osteopathy programme, which I completed in 2021.

Giving something back to my profession has always been a passion of mine. I am a former President of the Institute of Osteopathy and on behalf of the Osteopathic Development Group, I led a multi-stakeholder project to develop guidance for osteopaths who work with children and young people, which was published in 2020.

Other ways I can help

  • Osteopathy for babies

    Find out how osteopathy can support your baby after birth.

    Baby osteopathy

  • Pregnancy osteopathy

    Supporting your body as it adapts to the profound changes of pregnancy — and helping you recover well in the weeks and months that follow.

    Pregnancy osteopathy
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