To report antivax osteopath

[NC95738495]

Took my 4 week old DD to a cranial osteo. She was great, really helped and seemed lovely. Booked another appointment the following week and towards the end of the second app she asked out of the blue if I'd be vaccinating. I said yes and she started harping on about how I shouldn't basically, telling me to do my research and directing me to antivax websites/FB groups. She kept saying "I shouldn't be saying this as we're meant to follow NHS guidelines but...". I said firmly that I've done my research, she's my second child and I'll be vaccinating. Gave her the benefit of the doubt and went back the next week and she did it again, banging on about the evils of vaccines and how her unvaccinated children are fine, and more of the "I shouldn't be saying this but.."
I was really uncomfortable and made another appointment as she didn't really give me a choice and I just wanted out of there with my baby.
I'm going to cancel the upcoming appointment but honestly I'm considering reporting her to the general chiropractic council who regulate this industry. She owns her practice so nowhere higher to complain to.
How many other vulnerable new mothers to miserable screamy babies (like myself) is she doing this to? I think it's immoral and frankly dangerous and she can do whatever she wants with her own kids but a clinical practice isn't the place to share these views.
But I'm running on 3 hours broken sleep a night so not sure if I'm BU and overreacting!!

[Stuffofawesome]

Meant to add she may belong to a governing body like Federation of Holistic Therapists. There's probably an indication on her website somewhere who she is registered with

[TitianaTitsling]

@Mrsmorton

It's not really a surprise that someone who sells an entirely non evidence based hands on therapy, is anti vaccinations. Woo woo tends to go hand in hand with other woo woo.

Well agreed with this... I didn't think osteopaths are employed by the NHS?

[Rewis]

It would be one thing if you asked something and they Then offered their anti-vaxx views. But actively advocate without prompting? F-no! Report to the surgery/hospital that made the referral and then to whoever the osteopath is registered with.

[CaptainCarp]

If there practices aren't based in science the same as physios why do the NHS employ them as musculoskeletal practitioners?

Copied from the NHS careers website:
Osteopaths are trained to degree level attaining either a Bachelor’s (BSc) or Masters of Science (MSc).

Courses typically last four to five years and are a combination of academic, research and over 1,000 hours of hands-on patient-facing clinical training. This intensive medical training equips osteopaths with an in-depth knowledge of anatomy, physiology, psychology and pathology combined with robust clinical examination techniques.

[NC95738495]

Thanks, glad to hear I'm not overreacting.
She's a chiropractor registered with the GCC and royal college of chiropractors, and runs a clinic where she employs other therapists and also practices cranial osteopathy.

[DappledThings]

From a quick search on the General Osteopathic Council's website:
Members were advised that the OPS states that patients should be provided with a balanced view of the options to make an informed decision regarding vaccinations.

The OPS being the Osteopathic Practice Standards. So I'd put ready money on any complaint to them being responded to as the quack just ensuring you had all the "information" you needed to make that informed decision. Rather than you relying on all that big-Pharma sponsored sheeple nonsensse the NHS comes out with. Etc.

[DappledThings]

She's a chiropractor registered with the GCC and royal college of chiropractors

A chiropractor is even less likely to be reprimanded than an osteopath. The Venn diagram of anti-vaxxers and chiropractor has a very big overlap.

[MsTSwift]

Wonder if it’s the woman I met years ago when I had dd1? This was her job she was an ardent anti vaxxer. We spent a few afternoons together before I realised she was actually a lunatic and distanced myself! Her dh was very nice though

[TheCanterburyWhales]

Who referred you to her?

[FromMarch2020]

Report her for spreading lies.

Some of those anti vax websites are full of so many lies

[GladAllOver]

A committed anti-vaxer should not be involved in any health-related profession. It simply disqualifies them.

[NC95738495]

A breastfeeding support worker recommended I see a cranial osteopath, she was highly recommended by lots of local mothers.

[NC95738495]

@MsTSwift what part of the country are you in?

[SurferRona]

Why on earth are you taking your baby to a cranial osteopath ??! . Is the person who recommended this a real HCP? You say breastfeeding support worker, could be just another crank...

[Thurmanmurman]

Sorry not relevant to the OPs AIBU but why is an osteopath a quack? Don't doctors sometimes refer patients to them? I see a private osteopath every couple of months and it really helps my back! I do think OP should report this by the way

[TheHighestSardine]

A breastfeeding support worker recommended I see a cranial osteopath

For what?

[DappledThings]

@Thurmanmurman

Sorry not relevant to the OPs AIBU but why is an osteopath a quack? Don't doctors sometimes refer patients to them? I see a private osteopath every couple of months and it really helps my back! I do think OP should report this by the way

Ok, it's from Wikipedia with the caveats that that entails but:

Osteopathy is a type of alternative medicine that emphasizes physical manipulation of muscle tissue and bones.

Osteopathic manipulation is the core set of techniques in osteopathy. Parts of osteopathy, such as craniosacral therapy, have no therapeutic value and have been labeled as pseudoscience.
(my bolding)

And from RationalWiki:
Osteopathy is the discipline of (theoretically) treating disease by stimulating the body to heal itself, with a focus on manipulating muscles and bones. The idea that the body can be cured by manipulation has never been proven in any scientific journal and is essentially woo.

[AnnaBanana333]

Took my 4 week old DD to a cranial osteo.

Wtf? Why would you take your newborn to a quack and then complain about quackery? You do know these charlatans have killed people?

[00100001]

@TheHighestSardine

A breastfeeding support worker recommended I see a cranial osteopath

For what?

Some people believe it helps baby sleep better

[DappledThings]

And to be clear I can well believe that the elements of osteopathy that are essentially a good massage will help with various aches and pains. But I also think it's really naive to expect the governing body of a branch of alternative medicine to take any action against one of their practitioners who advocated another type of alternative medicine. Why would they think the practitioner had done anything wrong?

[Mrsjayy]

Chiropractors are alternative/complimentary there is the chance they will offer alternative opinions to "the norm" as this is a paid for alternative practise then it is going to be up to parents if they listen or not. It's the same as going to a baby yoga or massage class and the practitioner saying certain massage oils will soothe baby.

[Immigrantsong]

@022828MAN

You're not unreasonable, but she's an osteopath, what do you expect?!

This

[AnnaBanana333]

If there practices aren't based in science the same as physios why do the NHS employ them as musculoskeletal practitioners?

Good question. It's a fucking disgrace.

But until a few years ago they also recommended bloody acupuncture for certain back pain, based on one very dodgy study. They saw sense about that and no longer do (unless there's been another U-turn).

All quackery needs to be removed from the NHS.

[Mrsjayy]

Sorry if you think they have broken some guideline then or course report them but it might not change,maybe mention to your breast feeding councillor so the word gets out that this person is anti vaccination so parents are prepared before they go.

[mindutopia]

Osteopathic treatment absolutely has an evidence base. I'm a health scientist and I have regularly used it to treat pain and to fix ds's torticollis when he was born. The GP said, well, just see how bad it gets and if it gets severe enough I can prescribe a helmet to fix the flat head.

I direct you to the nearly 10,000 mostly peer reviewed articles on PubMed. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=osteopathic+treatment

But yes, osteopaths have a code of professional ethics to follow and I would report her for spouting this rubbish.