Training/policy

At the international level the Austrian osteopaths are represented through the Österreichische Gesellschaft für Osteopathie www.oego.org, which is a member of the European Federation of Osteopaths. The training of osteopaths in Austria is based on international guidelines, which also assures the quality of the courses.

In Austria osteopaths are trained at the Vienna School of Osteopaths www.wso.at, which organises 6-year courses, to which only physicians, physiotherapists and midwives are admitted. At the end of the training courses the participants sit for an exam in front of a board of examiners, and they have to submit a diploma thesis. Then they are awarded the title Diplom-Osteopath (men) or Diplom-Osteopathin (women), abbreviated D.O.

Then you may start a two-year training programme in paediatric osteopathy at the Vienna Osteopathic Centre for Children OZK .

OZK

Vienna Osteopathic Centre for Children

The OZK was established in autumn 1998 under the auspices of and modelled after the Osteopathic Centre for Children (OCC) in Great Britain, which was founded in 1991 by Stuart Korth D.O. Due to their extraordinary personal commitment the osteopaths at the OCC have achieved great success and international renown as specialists in children’s osteopathy.
The principle of osteopathy is unrestricted motion of all body structures. In children this is an essential prerequisite for a free development of vital energy and individual potentials. Osteopaths only use their hands for
diagnosis and treatment. Based on detailed anatomical knowledge and very subtle, precise perceptional abilities, osteopaths feel the structure of different body tissues and treat them accordingly.
Children may, and should, be treated by osteopaths from the very first day of life. Osteopathic treatment always begins with a comprehensive anamnesis, then the mobility of the individual body structures is thoroughly examined. Typical indications in children that may be successfully treated osteopathically include: feeding and swallowing difficulties, reflux, crying babies, squint, syringitis, hydromyrinx, chronic otitis media, abdominal colics, bronchitis, asthma, chronic cold, poorly aligned teeth, learning difficulties, behaviour problems, torticollis, scoliosis, hip problems, recurrent infections of the urinary tract, constipation, autism, cerebral dysfunctions, retarded growth etc.
The osteopaths at the OZK have completed a six-year osteopathic basic training programme and two years of specific training in paediatric osteopathy. Their training includes regular stays at the London OCC, where they receive further training and supervision by experienced osteopaths, who work without pay. In order to ensure both the frequency and the quality of treatment, the OZK depends on donations. So far the parents have taken over the costs of osteopathic treatment of their children. In the first year since its foundation 600 children have been treated at the OZK. However as our project has been very successful and is becoming increasingly popular we will have to increase the frequency of treatments and to find a permanent location for the OZK soon. Therefore we cannot manage without donations by private persons and enterprises.
We are highly committed to our project and we would like to be able to provide the best possible conditions for a good start into life for as many children as possible, and from all social classes.

 

OZK:	A-1130 Vienna, Frimbergergasse 6
Tel.:	0676 777 666 9
	Monday 8:30 - 13:00 and Thursday 14:30 - 16:30, if you call at other times please leave a message, you will be called back.
Donations account no. 0946-52660/00 at CA Bank, bank code: 11000