Dr Alyson Murray – Chiropractor for Babies and Children

Welcome, my name is Dr Alyson Murray and I created Chiropractic for Babies & Children, a space setup to cater exclusively to all things relating to babies and small children. My background working with children is extensive and spans greater than 25 years. I hold qualifications in Midwifery plus Paediatric Nursing and continue to work with sick children at the Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne. This keeps me up-to-date with evolving paediatric treatment modalities and allows my practice to benchmark with current medical practice.

At Chiropractic for Babies & Children the health and wellbeing of my little clients and their families is fundamental to everything I do. My approach is holistic and treatment involves a combination of very gentle chiropractic methods combined with evidence based advice around growth, development and all things relating to children’s health. I also incorporate nutritional advice, screening for symptoms of allergy/intolerance.

Why did I choose to become a chiropractor?

I am regularly asked why did I choose to return to university to complete the 5 years full time study required to practice chiropractic. My answer is simple – babies and children are my passion! My entire career has involved working with children in hospital and community based health services. During this time I have witnessed the frustration of parents who regularly receive conflicting advice from health practitioners. I have watched families turned away from health services when their babies and children  fail to fit the criteria of being acutely unwell, yet parents know something is not right. These families move from one health provider to the next where no one listens or medication is prescribed, but does not help. Mothers are labelled as “over anxious” or “first time mother”. I too grew frustrated with this system and decided to alter my career path, setting up a space where parents are listened to and medication is the last resort. I firmly believe that my gentle method of chiropractic offers a more natural and drug free approach to children’s healthcare.

Why am I different to other chiropractors?

As a chiropractor that works exclusively with babies and small children, my extensive background in midwifery and paediatric nursing offers a unique skill set and level of experience not seen in the chiropractic profession. Children are not just “little adults” and care should be provided by practitioners who have extensive hands-on experience and knowledge of how children’s systems differ from adults. All chiropractic practitioners who choose to work with babies and small children should be extensively trained in normal growth and development plus have established expertise in the different paediatric conditions that commonly present. In this practice we have established referral pathways with GP’s and paediatricians, and will refer if required.

Why do parents choose to bring their precious newborn baby to a chiropractor?

Parents commonly find me when they have trialled all other mainstream options with no success. The most common statement parents make is “I know something is wrong with my baby but no one will listen to me”. “My baby cries too much” or “My baby doesn’t sleep enough”. I am repeatedly asked “Why did no-one refer me earlier?”, “Why were we not told about this service?”. Second time parents have been known to drop in for a check-up on the way home from the hospital, to prevent the issues they had with their first. My aim of treatment is to ensure your baby or child receives the most comprehensive and best care available allowing them to be happy and reach their full developmental potential. I am yet to meet a parent who instinctually was not 100% correct about concerns for their baby.

On occasion, individual issues that children present with may require input from multiple paediatric health specialists. In these situations I am very happy to work in a collaborative model. This includes paediatricians, speech pathologists, podiatrists, physiotherapists, behavioural optometrists, audiologists, paediatric orthotists and occupational therapists.

My Qualifications are as follows:

• Master of Clinical Chiropractic (Award for Academic Excellence)
• Bachelor of Applied Science (Complimentary Medicine)
• Graduate Diploma Paediatrics (Paediatric Critical Care)
• Bachelor of Health Science
• Certificate Paediatric Chiropractic
• Registered Midwife
• Registered Nurse
• Infant Mental Health Training – RCH
• Paediatric Continence Care – International Children’s Continence Society

If you have any questions about my services, please check my FAQs page or feel free to Contact Me.