Paediatrics in Osteopathic Practice with Dr Julie Fendall DO MOstSc(Paeds)

This April, Julie will be presenting a 5 day Paediatric program exploring many conditions of paediatric practice and sharing how she approaches the care and treatment of these patients. Exploring in depth how growth in utero, the effects of birth and early neonatal care affect musculoskeletal development, growth, neurological maturation, respiratory function, digestion and immune health.

Using a variety of functional approaches including osteopathy in the Cranial Field, Balanced Ligamentous Tension & Myofascial Release, Julie brings a depth of knowledge, refined palpation, and skilled therapeutic touch to her courses. She has had the privilege of being taught by practitioners who were themselves students of Dr William Garner Sutherland, the founder of cranial osteopathy, who trained directly under Dr Andrew Taylor Still.

She has studied with Dr Anne Wales, Dr Viola Frymann, Dr Rolin Becker and others of their generation. She has also worked closely with Jane Carreiro, Sue Turner, Jim Jealous, Stuart Korth & Rachel Brooks.  Julie is deeply passionate about passing on this lineage of knowledge and supporting students to develop an increasingly subtle depth of perception and treatment skill, which they can confidently integrate into their everyday clinical practice.

This comprehensive five-day paediatric program offers an in-depth exploration of assessment, diagnosis, and osteopathic management across a wide range of infant and childhood presentations. Designed for practitioners working with babies, children, and adolescents, the course integrates clinical reasoning, hands-on skills, and an understanding of growth, development, and adaptation.

This course will suit osteopaths who already have some experience working with paediatric patients and who wish to deepen and expand their clinical approach. It is particularly suited to practitioners wanting to explore greater depth in treatment using functional approaches such as Osteopathy in the Cranial Field, Balanced Ligamentous Tension, and Myofascial Release, alongside support of the visceral systems.

Programme

The program is strongly clinically oriented and provides practical, hands-on skills that participants can confidently integrate into their everyday paediatric practice.

Day 1: Clinical Foundations, Pregnancy, and Birth

Day one establishes the clinical framework for paediatric practice, covering thorough history taking, examination and testing, differential and working diagnosis, treatment planning, ongoing care, and appropriate referral.

The day also explores the qualitative effects of pregnancy and birth, with consideration of maternal health factors such as hyperemesis, thyroid dysfunction, medication use, stress, digestive health, and assisted pregnancies.

The impact of different birth types - including vaginal deliveries, complex presentations, forceps and vacuum extraction, and elective or emergency caesarean sections - is examined in relation to gestational age, neonatal adaptation, respiratory function, time in special care or neonatal intensive care, and conditions such as transient tachypnoea of the newborn.

Day 2: Early Adaptation and Respiratory Function

Day two focuses on early neonatal and infant adaptation, particularly respiratory function. Common presentations such as recurrent infections, inflammation, congestion, and allergy are explored, including conditions such as bronchiolitis, croup, and asthma.

Attention is given to how acute and chronic respiratory conditions affect connective tissue, the central nervous system, cerebrospinal fluid, interstitial fluid, and the expression of the primary respiratory mechanism. Affecting musculoskeletal mechanics and fluid expression in the body.

Day 3: Gastrointestinal Function and Systemic Integration

Day three examines gastrointestinal health in infants and children, including normal and altered gut motility, assessment of bloating, allergies and intolerances, and the development of the gut microbiome.

The relationship between gastrointestinal function, immune response, and systemic regulation is explored, with consideration of how digestive dysfunction influences respiratory health, connective tissue adaptation, and neurological regulation.

Day 4: Musculoskeletal Development, Trauma, and Hypermobility

Day four explores musculoskeletal development and injury across childhood, including recent sprains and fractures, long-term strain patterns, healing timelines, and growth plate considerations.

Participants will develop age-specific palpation skills, gaining an understanding of tissue quality at different stages of development. Topics include infant and childhood hypermobility, dietary influences on connective tissue quality, juvenile laxity, and the role of genetic, familial, and neurodiverse factors in musculoskeletal presentation.

Day 5: Neurological and Neurodevelopmental Presentations

The final day focuses on neurological and neurodevelopmental presentations, including epilepsy, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and neurodiversity.

Participants will explore age-appropriate management strategies, expectations around cooperation and engagement, central and sympathetic nervous system influences, spinal and sacral dynamics, cranial base function, diaphragmatic motion, and characteristic patterns such as vertical shear and extension mechanisms seen in different presentations of disability.

Teacher

Julie is making a welcome return to Advanced Osteopathy, having taught with us for the past 12 year. She has over 40 year’s experience in osteopathic practice and teaches at postgraduate level internationally.

She graduated in 1982 from the British School of Osteopathy in London then gained a Masters Degree in Paediatrics on moving to Australia where she practises in Sydney, treating children form new born and women throughout pregnancy.

Julie has vast experience in the osteopathic are of infants, children and adolescents teaching a wide range of topics in this area. As well as running course on pregnancy, the post natal period and feeding.