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Université de Sherbrooke

Efficacité d'un traitement ostéopathique pour les problématiques biomécaniques de succion des nouveau-nés

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

Background: National and international policies recommend breastfeeding for its benefits on mothers’ and infants’ health. In Quebec, almost nine out of ten mothers initiate breastfeeding with their baby but half of these stop during the first month, due to biomechanical sucking difficulties, and this, despite increasing support from lactation consultants (LC). Osteopaths worldwide work with these babies, but there is little empirical evidence for this type of treatment. The primary objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of an osteopathic treatment coupled with usual lactation consultations on infants’ identified as having biomechanical sucking difficulties. Methods: A single blind randomized controlled trial including 97 mother-infant dyads referred by LC. The dyads were randomized into two groups: osteopathic intervention or usual care. Four measurement times over a 10-day period (pre and post intervention) allowed for the determination of the babies’ ability to latch, the intensity of pain felt by mothers as well as any perceived side effects. Osteopathic lesions were documented in an effort to establish a profile T-tests and Chi-square tests as well as regression models were used to compare groups. Results: Babies having received the osteopathic intervention showed a clinically and statistically significant increase (p<0.001) in their ability to latch compared to the usual care group. Analyses did not show any statistically significant difference between groups with regard to the pain felt by mothers at the different measurement times. However, 3 days post intervention, the mothers in the intervention group perceived a significant decrease in their level of pain (p=0.001). A profile of osteopathic dysfunctions in these babies was generated with 84,5% of them found to have a posterior skull dysfunction. No serious or severe side effects were reported. Conclusion: Osteopathic treatment coupled with lactation consultations seem to be a promising avenue for mother-infant dyads with biomechanical sucking dysfunctions. Further research is needed to optimize osteopathic treatment in terms of targeting babies, timing and duration of interventions and also to better document and standardize areas with osteopathic lesions.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
M. Sc.
Level thesis:degree_level
Maîtrise
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Sciences cliniques
Grantor dc:publisher
Université de Sherbrooke
Year dc:date.issued
2017

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Herzhaft-Le Roy, Juliette
Advisors dc:contributor.advisor
  • Gaboury, Isabelle
  • Xhignesse, Marie-Anne

Subjects

dc:subject × 8

Rights

Language dc:language.iso
fr, en

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Handle dc:identifier.uri
http://hdl.handle.net/11143/11074
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:usherbrooke.scholaris.ca:11143/11074

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Université de Sherbrooke
Base URL
usherbrooke.scholaris.ca/server/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-27
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Herzhaft-Le Roy, Juliette. Efficacité d'un traitement ostéopathique pour les problématiques biomécaniques de succion des nouveau-nés. Maîtrise thesis, Université de Sherbrooke, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/11143/11074