Osteopathy's Promise to Children

OPC clinical trial will be conducted to compare the benefits of osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT), primarily in the tradition of Dr. Viola M. Frymann, compared with helmet therapy in a population of infants diagnosed with non-synostotic plagiocephaly. This research to be conducted in collaboration with Rady Children’s Hospital.

The primary goal of the proposed study is to improve health care delivery to children, specifically children born with plagiocephaly. A primary objective is to increase the number of children receiving the safe and effective modality of pediatric osteopathy by showing the effectiveness of OMT compared to standard care including helmet therapy. Specific Aims of the study include: Compare anthropometric assessment before and after OMT or helmet therapy in infants diagnosed with plagiocephaly. Follow the children for several years collecting data on psycho-educational performance.

Children with plagiocephaly appear to have more problems related to postural compensations, musculoskeletal dysfunction, visual perception and ophthalmic dysfunction, temporo-mandibular articulation, and developmental achievements. Therefore it is important to not only compare the relatively immediate, months to a year, outcome of cranial bone dimensions assessed by anthropometric measures, but also evaluate over several years the presence of the type of problems mentioned above.

Once collaboration with Rady Children’s Hospital is established, patients will be recruited with helmet therapy and followed and their data on anthropometric measures gathered. Children who have not yet begun helmet therapy will have a chance to be treated with OMT. Comparison of these two groups is a primary aim of the study. A system will be put in place to follow the children through the first 5-6 years of life, gather developmental, cognitive and educational data for comparison.

This is new research with MD’s and DO’s working together on a pilot study critical to launching a larger study. Research results may impact 2 million children receiving medical treatment for plagiocephaly in U.S.

Osteopathy’s Promise to Children was founded in 1992 by Dr. Viola M. Frymann, DO, FAAO, FCA. Its mission is to ensure that underserved, chronically ill children have access to osteopathic treatment at the Osteopathic Center for Children by providing financial assistance to those who children who have an established need to receive medically necessary care and by providing a clinical training site which combines osteopathic continuing medical education, clinical training and research to make certain that the next generation of health professionals in the field of osteopathy are qualified in the principles and practices of osteopathy as originally envisioned by Dr. Frymann.

Osteopathy's Promise to Children strives to benefit, support and serve the communities in which we live and work including the Coachella Valley by providing for the unmet physical needs of children, regardless of background, race or creed. Financial assistance is offered to children who have an established need to receive medically necessary services and meet the financial criteria for treatment at the Osteopathic Center for Children.

Thanks to the enduring support of the Anderson Children’s Foundation, Osteopathy’s Promise to Children, will provide an additional $8,000 in free or reduced osteopathic medical care to children with the most chronic, debilitating, or severe illnesses seeking treatment at the Osteopathic Center for Children in 2016-­2017. Osteopathy’s Promise to Children has provided more than $300,000 in grant support to the Osteopathic Center for Children for the treatment of underserved children in the last 10 years.