Special Needs Children and Cranial Osteopathy
By Philip Owen – Paediatric Cranial Osteopath

Let us take a brief moment to reflect on the concept of delayed development resulting in learning difficulties and special needs.

Each baby, healthy or otherwise, is born with a brain (or central nervous system) that is likely to have different abilities and characteristics to other children. Each child will have a potential to which he or she is capable of developing. The paediatric cranial osteopath will, when assessing any child, look for signs that full development potential is not being reached.

How does he do this?

In order for the C.N.S. (central nervous system) to function at its optimum level, which is different for each of us, the cranial osteopath looks for any physical factors that may be putting undue strain on the surrounding structures thereby compromising the function of it. Any undue tension in the surrounding membranes of the brain caused by an unresolved strain within the bony plates can alter the movement of fluids in and around the brain. This can compromise not only the stages of development but also the function of the child’s central nervous system.

The most common type of strain felt in a child’s skull is that resulting from the birth process. If this strain is minor it may cause colic or sleep problems, or even go unnoticed. If, however, it is more serious it may influence the temperament and the functioning of the baby/child. It may leave the child with attention deficit problems or even feeling vulnerable resulting in ‘clinginess’, adding to poor social skills. Other skills that many of us take for granted such as co-ordination to walk and self-feed or utilise brain function to be able to talk to express our feelings may be diminished or absent. To label a child as being dyslexic or dyspraxic or indeed any one of a number of conditions is not the prime concern of the cranial osteopath. No two children’s heads feel the same, therefor the cranial osteopath does not treat specific conditions but the feeling of dis-ease or blockage which is different in each case.

To the Cranial Osteopath it is, however, of more interest that when a child is brought to his consulting rooms with some degree of delay in a particular area of his or her development, he will put aside the disability label attached to that child. Instead he will assess whether there are any intrinsic or extrinsic factors that may be influencing the ease and space within which the brain has to function. The development of the central nervous system may be influenced by many factors. Anything that hinders the development will result in the child not reaching his or her full potential. There may be one or a multitude of different areas within the C.N.S. that may feel restricted or under compromise leading to a plethora of possibilities manifesting in an abnormality of development. Some of the skills that a child develops in early life such as concentration, co-ordination, social skills, neuromuscular co-ordination, memory, speech and language etc.etc. may be affected in one way or another.

Common sense dictates that certain conditions cannot readily be changed. Conditions in which the brain has failed to grow due to a genetic problem or there has been irreversible damage at birth will respond much slower than conditions where there is a block to normal flexibility or motility of the central nervous system. In such circumstances there may be an abnormal amount of tension thus interfering with normal brain function or physiology.

To surmise we may view disturbances of function as being able to split into either:-
(1) Neurological – Inability of the brain to process information correctly.
(2) Physical – The inability of the neuromusculoskeletal system of the body to respond appropriately to orders of the brain.

In order to detect whether the central nervous system is able to function at its optimum level (which is different for each of us as previously explained) the cranial osteopath gently rests his hands on the surface of the skull or spine. Not unlike a car mechanic listening to sweet sound of a well tuned engine, the cranial osteopath ‘listens’ with his hands to subtle movements in and around the skull and C.N.S. His past experience and knowledge of how the subtle movements should be taking place and making comparisons to what he is able to feel at that time will all contribute to the overall picture. He will ascertain if there are any physical factors that are imposing undue strain on the surrounding structures thereby compromising the natural and normal functions of it. Any undue physical stress or trauma in the surrounding membranes of the brain caused by an unresolved strain within the bony plates of the skull can alter the movement of fluids in and around the brain. This can compromise not only the developmental stages but also the function of the child’s central nervous system. Even the most simple strain that can be picked up and felt by a cranial osteopath in a baby’s or child’s skull can have many detrimental effects in the first few weeks of life. If this strain is only minor it may cause colic or sleepless nights for the baby. It may even go unnoticed if, however, it is not treated and remains the baby with colic or who fails to be able to reach a deep level of sleep may develop temper tantrums, behavioural problems, or even attention deficit problems.

Let us now consider the most common form of trauma found in a baby i.e. the birth process.

THE BIRTH PROCESS

The birth process is arguably one of the most traumatic events in a baby’s life. As labour is initiated the contractions of the uterus pushes the baby (usually head first) towards and subsequently down the birth canal. As the head becomes engaged it follows the natural grooves in the mother and is rotated and tilted back. Sometimes, with the position of the baby’s head and the contracting uterus forcing the baby into the birth canal, the baby (usually the skull) can become trapped and unable to move. This can result in the baby’s skull bones being forced together and subsequently being unable to recover by separating again. This situation is not uncommon and seen by cranial osteopaths in either a protracted or very rapid labour. If the delivery team decide to use additional aids (which are often life saving) such as forceps or ventoux extractors further complications in the baby’s skull due to these additional forces may ensue.

It is impossible to predict how a child will react with a birth injury. As previously stated babies initially may have colic or sleep problems. Toddlers may develop temper tantrums or glue ear. The immune system may be affected also in children resulting in repeated infections or even sensitivity reactions such as asthma. If the central nervous system itself is affected there may be varying degrees of learning disabilities. All of these may be the presenting symptoms.. To the cranial osteopath they do not however suggest a treatment regime. The answer to that lies within the individual findings in each skull.

In other words whatever the level of dysfunction whether it be a child who is bed wetting or one who has severe learning difficulties the cranial osteopath will try to understand by gently palpating the skull and tissues. He will palpate for normal flexibility in the central nervous system and its surrounding structures. The absence of this normal flexibility will contain some of the answers needed in putting together the pieces of the jigsaw that explain the reasons for the child’s behaviour/dysfunction/difficulties. By assessing the structures around the C.N.S. to regain their normal flexibility will endeavour to improve their function.

Conditions rarely happen in isolation.
Whatever the level of disability the child ends up with there are very often other associated behavioural or developmental problems that can go unnoticed. For example, if a child has a certain physical ability an additional problem in the classroom may be present. Children with untreated or unresolved birth strains may start off in life unable to sleep (as a general rule of thumb, a 6 week old baby should be able to sleep 6 hours at any one time!), later they then may go to find concentration difficult at school. It is possible that social skills may be poor due to the inner fear or threat of making friends and going into the unknown. The ability of the brain to assimilate, process or retrieve information may also be compromised. Therefor one child’s presenting picture is often very different from the next.

When is it appropriate to have an assessment/ treatment?
It’s never too late to start treatment for these unresolved patterns. The body appears to be extremely anxious to be in a state of ease (rather than dis-ease). To find and release a blockage allows the body to rebalance it self and adopt a new mode of functioning. The results will be an improved function of the structures affected. It may not be possible to see these changes immediately. When the changes do present they are often subtle and surreptitious but are lasting because the body has accepted those changes in the long term.
As a general rule the younger the child, the quicker the response to treatment. This is possibly due to the fact that the body tissues may adopt bad habits that over a period of time become set in their ways.
Cranial Osteopathic treatment is not claiming to have all the answers but, where possible, works along side Mother Nature and aims to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of that which has been presented to us. In many cases the cranial osteopath will work with other professionals in the hope that an overall enhancement will ensue.