Cranial Osteopathy is gentle but powerful treatment involving light finger and hand pressure to various parts of the body.
It helps to release compression of cranial bones, tension in the membranes, and to re-balance the natural cranial rhythm. Cranial Osteopathy is suitable for all ages.
Cranial Osteopathy is particularly suitable for babies and children. The physical trauma of birth can cause significant moulding of a baby’s head causing a variety of distortions.
Much of this reduces over several days, however sometimes this unmoulding process in incomplete. This is most often associated with difficult births, but also occurs with ‘normal’ and caesarean deliveries. Babies are unable to express any discomfort caused by birth trauma other than by crying and being unsettled and irritable.
Recent research into Cranial Osteopathy showed some parents perceived that there was a reduction in colicky crying, improved sleep and that their children were less unsettled with more calm and happy spells after undergoing Cranial Osteopathy.
The birth process can create tension in the musculoskeletal system leading to head, neck, body and postural imbalance. This imbalance may affect the general development of children in a number of ways.
An association between birth trauma and retained primitive reflexes has been noted in some children. Primitive reflexes are automatic survival and developmental reflexes. They should be inhibited by 9–12 months of age to allow for the development of postural reflexes and promote normal movement patterns.
Birth trauma and retained primitive reflexes are often associated with children who have difficulties with sitting still, concentration, reading, writing, balance/co-ordination and school performance in general.
Cranial Osteopathy, postural and neurodevelopmental exercises are used to help such difficulties.
