I am frequently asked what the best complementary or alternative therapies for kids are. This is a broad question and depends both on the child’s issue and what makes them feel safe. Sometimes it is the firm touch of massage or Swiss Reflex Therapy that makes them feel safe and sometimes it is the light touch of CranioSacral Therapy.
You may consider complementary therapy for your child for many reasons, including to prevent illnesses, improve symptoms, provide support or reduce side effects from medical treatment. In my experience CranioSacral therapy is one of the safest and most effective therapies for infants and children.
CranioSacral Therapy is often associated with issues relating to the birth process which can lead to restrictions that may be carried throughout life. A CranioSacral Therapy (CST) evaluation and treatment soon after birth can minimize or release such restrictions.
During the session, the therapist monitors the craniosacral rhythm, conducts other gentle assessments and corrects the sources of the presenting issue using gentle manipulative techniques. Symptoms such as colic, feeding problems, sucking problems, sleeping and behavioural problems can be helped with CST. Parents are often amazed by the sudden and dramatic change in a baby’s symptoms.
Babies can’t speak but that doesn’t mean you can’t communicate with them. When a therapist connects with a baby they come to appreciate what things are like for that baby and interacting with them using CranioSacral therapy plays a big part in making the treatment effective.
CST is effective for a wide range of conditions in children and adolescents. Childhood and adolescent conditions which have responded well to CranioSacral therapy include: Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD/ADD), autism, adolescent withdrawal, fears and phobias, bed-wetting and asthma. Depression, migraine, sinusitis, spinal and pelvic pain and some psychological conditions are among the issues that can sometimes be traced back to what happened at birth.
Children and their families can benefit from continuing CST periodically throughout childhood as they adapt to the process of growing up.
