Osteopath - Judith O'Sullivan

Cranial Osteopathy for Babies and Children

Cranial osteopathy is a very gentle and soothing type of Osteopathic treatment. The Osteopath uses refined touch and gentle pressure to encourage the release of tension and the correction of mechanical disturbance throughout the body. It is a very gentle adjustment without any 'clicking' of the joints.

The brain is immersed in cerebral spinal fluid (C.S.F.) that bathes and protects the tissues in and around the brain. This fluid pulsates at around 6-14 times a minute in a healthy craniosacral system, this is known as the Involuntary Mechanism (I.V.M). Dr. William G. Sutherland first discovered this rhythm in the early 1900's.

The Osteopath works with their hands on the cranium (head) and sacrum (tail bone) palpating the motion of the bones and subtle rhythmic pulsation of the C.S.F. and corrects disturbances in the neuromuscular system.

Birth is one of the most stressful events of our lives. During labour the body is subjected to enormous physical forces. At birth, the head of the baby is relatively soft and pliable which makes it vulnerable to trauma, and even for so-called 'normal' deliveries, the baby's head is compressed, twisted and moulded in order to facilitate the birth.

After delivery the head gradually un-moulds, however this un-moulding process may be left incomplete especially if the birth was difficult such as: a long and difficult labour, rapid delivery, abnormal presentation, use of forceps, small maternal pelvis or a large baby's head.

Some babies cope extremely well with severely retained moulding and compression, for others they can display a variety of problems such as irritably, feeding difficulties, wind, and colic.

Practitioners aid the body's natural self-correcting mechanism to relieve traumas that may have occurred during the birth. Using their highly trained sense of touch they can identify and treat restrictions and disturbances using gentle pressure and this is not painful or uncomfortable for children.

Babies born by caesarean section, also present some compression problems, as the skull has not undergone the 'moulding' effect from the birth canal. After Cranial treatment the baby or child is very relaxed and sleeps well. Others may have a burst of energy after treatment, usually followed by a good night's sleep.