Cranial Osteopathy

The first therapy I always recommend to parents with young children is cranial osteopathy. The general opinion is that structural problems and nutritional problems should be checked out before other issues are considered.

During the 1930s it was discovered that there is a small amount of movement allowed between the individual bones in the skull. Cranial osteopathy involves ensuring that this movement is present.

The most common conditions treated with cranial osteopathy are joint problems. In children it can also help a range of conditions such as colic, crying, irritability, disturbed sleep patterns, learning difficulties, glue ear and more. There has also been some improvement in conditions such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, ADHD and autism.

It is suitable for people of all ages, it is very gentle which makes it especially suitable for babies, the elderly and the chronically ill.

Obviously, when a child is born there is pressure to the skull, and this can result in restriction of the movement of the bones of the skull, also falls and head injuries can cause problems. In children, because the bones are more mobile, the effect of a head injury can be greater.

The strains of pregnancy can lead to pressure on the mother's body as well, and after the birth, the strain of carrying children can put other pressures on the body, so osteopathy can help the mother as well.

When you visit an osteopath a full medical history is taken. Outer layers of clothing may need to be removed, but the patient will be fully dressed. Certain movements may need to be made to show the range of ability of the joints. The osteopath will then put her hands at various places on the head and body to get a feel for the state of the tissues. This is usually very relaxing.

Like many therapies, you may feel worse before you feel better, but often this does not happen. You may also feel a bit tired in which case you should rest.

Various research is supporting the use of cranial osteopathy. For instance researchers have discovered that many children who have attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) seem to have limited growth in the front of the brain.

I have taken all my children to have cranial osteopathy, and the older two, who had a rather unpleasant birth, have improved considerably. Emily, as a baby, used to cry for ages, but after a trip to the osteopath this stopped almost immediately, also in more recent years, one visit to the osteopath marked the end of her earaches. Daniel, who has more complex problems, goes more regularly, but I invariably find improvements in his behaviour the same day as we see the therapist, and often the school comment on it too. I have also heard of a baby girl who was having seizures every few minutes, having these almost stopped after one visit from the osteopath.

General Council and Register of Osteopaths, 56 London Street, Reading, Berkshire RG1 4YR, UK

Website: http://www.osteopathy.org.uk/

American Osteopathic Association, 142 East Ontario Street, Chicago, IL 60611, USA

Phone: (800) 621-1773 / (312) 202-8000

Website: http://www.aoa-net.org/

Australian Osteopathic Association, PO Box 242, Thornleigh NSW 2120, Australia

Phone: 1800 4 OSTEO

Website: http://www.osteopathic.com.au/