Cranial Therapy for Children & Babies
How can cranial and physical therapy help children & babies?
Cranial Therapy can help to release mechanical stresses and strains throughout the body which may help your child to feel more comfortable. This may help them to be more relaxed.
For babies it is important that they can turn their head freely to both sides and releasing mechanical tension can help to improve neck mobility. It is also important that babies can nose-breathe and releasing mechanical tension can sometimes improve this.
The techniques used on younger patients
Cranial Therapy (also known as cranial-sacral therapy) involves the use of very gentle hand-holds and is safe and effective for people of all ages including babies and children. Very specific, skilled, light pressure is applied where necessary to assist the natural ability of the body to release stresses and tensions.
Children usually enjoy their treatment and are happy to lie on the treatment bench quietly or having a story read to them. Younger children sometimes sit on the bench or the parent’s lap playing with toys, or may be happy to lie down too. Please feel free to bring your child’s favourite book or toy to entertain them and a drink. Babies will often lie on the bench asleep whilst receiving treatment, or being entertained by you, or on your lap being fed. It’s fine for the baby to feed during treatment, in fact sometimes it’s the easiest way to treat a very unsettled baby.
Treatment reaction: Reactions to treatment are variable; the baby or child may be relaxed afterwards or others may have a burst of energy after treatment. It is quite normal for some babies and children to be unsettled after treatment and this may last for 24-48.