Although it happens to all of us being born is one of the most stressful events of our lives. A baby is subjected to
enormous forces and has to twist and turn as it squeezes through the bony pelvis. Normally a baby's head has the remarkable
ability to absorb these stresses and the soft bones overlap, bend and distort as the baby descends. This sometimes results
in a baby being born with an odd shaped head, which gradually changes and unmoulds as the baby naturally suckles, cries and yawns.
However, this unmoulding process is often incomplete, especially if the birth has been difficult or a caesarean section has been
necessary (whether elective or emergency). As a result, a baby may have to live with some very uncomfortable stresses within its head
and body, and although some babies are happy and content and cope with the residual moulding and compression, for others it can lead to
a variety of problems, such as an inability to relax.
Cranial Osteopathy, through its use of very gentle hands-on work, can help to remove these stresses and strains and assist the
normal development of your baby/child. Treatment is safe right from birth. As an Osteopath is looking for mechanical strains and
tensions, rather than medical conditions, it should be considered in addition to and not as a replacement for your normal health
visitor/midwife check. The younger the child is, the better the response to treatment, so it is helpful to seek treatment
as early as possible.
Symptoms that show your baby may be experiencing birth compressions might be:
- constant crying and irritability
- sleep disturbances
- feeding problems
- wind and/or colic
- sinusitis
- ear, nose and throat disorders
Sometimes, if unresolved, the birth compressions may manifest, for example, as recurrent headaches in adulthood.
Cranial Osteopathy does not treat the symptoms. Rather by correcting any strains within the baby’s body, it encourages
the body’s own healing systems to take effect and these adjustments can help resolve the presenting symptoms. This in
turn can lead to a happier, healthier baby (and parents!).
Although often associated with treating babies and children, Cranial Osteopathy is suitable for people of all ages and
can treat a wide variety of conditions. For more information see Cranial Osteopathy.
CASE HISTORY
Patient: 10-month-old baby girl
Condition: Mother complained that her baby was a very bad sleeper and was often sick. She had been given medication for the sickness by her GP, and had been diagnosed as lactose intolerant. The baby was small for her age.
History: Baby had been delivered by an elective caesarean section at 38½ weeks and weighed 6lbs 12oz. Mother reported she had been very active during pregnancy.
Treatment: 3 treatments over a five-week period. Treatment focused on balancing the baby’s cranial mechanism and releasing tension through her diaphragm. Following treatment the baby was sleeping much better, was generally more settled and gaining weight. The baby was being weaned off the medication for sickness.
Please feel free to contact us if you wish to discuss further whether we can help you