Complimentary Care for Infants & Children
Instructor: Nancy Burke, CST, CMP
December 14, 2012
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Participants will gain an appreciation for the role of
Craniosacral Therapy (CST) in the treatment of
infants & children
Participants will attain a general understanding of
Craniosacral Therapy (CST) as it relates to the
cerebral spinal system
Participants will be able to recognize 5 conditions
where CST would be an effective complimentary
treatment with infants & children
Participants will be able to communicate to
caregivers the benefits of CST for infants & children
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History of Craniosacral Therapy (CST)
• How CST was developed
• How CST works
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My Journey
• My personal story
• How CST works for me
• How I found Craniosacral Therapy
• My training
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How CST works for Infants & Children
• Issues and Treatment
• Ages 0 - 2
• Age 3 – 7
• Ages 8 - Adolescent
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Case Studies
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Reasons to Refer to Craniosacral Therapy
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How CST was developed:
• The Craniosacral System is a recently discovered
physiological system.
• William Sutherland, D.O. began investigation in this
field in the second decade of the twentieth century.
• At the College of Osteopathic Medicine at Michigan
State University in the early 1970’s a team of
researchers began work under the premise that
cranial bones move.
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• Researchers studied fresh cranial bone specimens,
through the use of optical and electron microscopy
showing the existence of blood vessels, nerve fibers,
collagen and elastic fibers within cranial sutures.
• The mechanisms behind cranial motion were studied–
focusing on the role of the dura mater and the
cerebrospinal fluid.
• The results from their research influenced the
therapeutic application of cranial techniques.
• Dr. John Upledger was the primary developer of
techniques for evaluation and treatment.
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How CST works:
• The use of palpation is key to craniosacral therapy.
• Structures beneath the skin—their form, movement
and relationship to each other—are explored
through palpation.
• The craniosacral system possesses its own
physiological activity with all the characteristics of a
semi-closed hydraulic system formed by the dura
mater membrane and its contents.
• Membranes are given shape by the fluid pressure in
the system and the more rigid structures such as the
cranial bones and the spine.
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Human Dural Membrane
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In CST, bones in the cranium and the spine are used
as “handles” to release the restrictions in the
membrane system to allow the fluid to flow properly.
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Functionally, the cranial system is related to the
central nervous system, the autonomic nervous
system, the neuromusculoskeletal system and the
endocrine system.
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The system’s fluid intake is via the choroid plexus
which allows passage of fluid from the vascular
system into the ventricular system of the brain.
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ANTERIOR
Sacrococcygeal
complex
Sagittal
suture
Foramen
magnum
SUPERIOR
INFERIOR
POSTERIOR
Anterior-Posterior and Superior-Inferior Axes of
the Dural Membrane System
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The dural system is continuous down the spine to the
coccyx.
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The dural sleeves extend off what is known as the
dural tube.
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Attached to those sleeves is the connective tissue that
then runs throughout the body with many
attachments to bone, muscle, viscera– including the
cranium, brain, coccyx, dural sleeves, etc.
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This allows the therapist to access the cranial system
from any area of the body.
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Sacrum
Occiput
Dural Tube Continuity
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Sutures
Dural
membrane
Skull bones
Cerebrospinal
fluid
Dural
membrane
(spinal region)
Semi-Closed Hydraulic System of the
Cerebrospinal Fluid and Dural Membrane
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My personal story
• History of 2 car accidents as a young adult and a
bike accident as an adolescent.
• Experienced ongoing issues with my neck and
chronic headaches for years.
• Cranial work helped me heal from the neck pain
and the headaches virtually went away.
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How I found Craniosacral Therapy
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Introduced to Craniosacral Therapy while
working in a chiropractic office.
The chiropractor provided CST as a modality
in her practice and I received CST as a patient.
I found the work so beneficial and
interesting that I began to
study cranial work—that was
about 21 years ago.
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How CST works for me
• CST is both relaxing and structurally precise.
• Assists the body in finding its own innate balance
on both a physical and an emotional level.
• Cranial work moves through many levels, surface
to deep via the brain, dura, and the spinal cord.
• The focus and depth of the work enables me to
work on the layers of physical issues.
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My training
Advanced training at the Upledger Institute
over many years.
• Most recently, advanced training specifically
in pediatric CST with French osteopath Dr.
Alain Gehin.
• Coursework, seminars, and consultation in
Pediatric CST with Benjamin Shield, PhD.
•
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Osteopathic perspective:
We work with babies because when we look
at a child, we never know what or who they
can be. And when we look at an adult, we
never know what or who they could have
been.
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Newborns, infants and children present
special craniosacral system problems.
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Craniosacral Therapy with infants and
children:
• Utilizes simple and effective techniques
to assist in normalizing the structure
o balance the nervous system
o resolve possible birth experience related issues.
o
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Delivery of posterior
shoulder.
Harry Oxorn, Human Labor &
Birth (Norwalk: Appleton &
Lange, 1986)
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CST works to aid in the prevention of
numerous
• developmental
• sensory
• learning
• structural
• emotional problems.
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Under normal conditions, the skull of the term
fetus is truly a membranous sac filled with
cerebrospinal fluid.
• This fluid contributes an internal pressure to this
semi-closed system.
• The bony developments in the fetal and infant
skull may be thought of as “hard places” in the
membrane—contributing to its shape and
functional integrity.
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• As maturation occurs, the distances between
these bony hard places are reduced.
o The ratio of flexible membranous cranial
vault to more rigid osseous cranial vault
changes in favor of the latter.
• As the newly delivered child develops, the
character of the cartilage, membrane and bone
which comprise the cranial vault undergoes
considerable modification.
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Adult and Fetal Skulls
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The newborn skull is extremely flexible.
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Therefore, the techniques for examination
and treatment of the newborn craniosacral
system are quite different from those applied
to the adult.
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As the person develops from newborn to
adult, the techniques of craniosacral
examination and treatment must be gradually
modified.
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THE OCCIPITAL BONE AT BIRTH
occipital squamous
portion - felt at the
back of the head
areas of growth
cartilage - this
allows for
distortion between
bony segments
during birth
In a newborn the occipital
bone, found at the base of
the skull, is in four parts,
which functionally act as
separate bones that are
capable of moving in
relation to each other at
the time of birth.
condylar parts - form joints with the
first neck vertebra
foramen magnum - space for spinal
cord to exit cranium
basal part (cannot be seen as inside
skull)
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Craniosacral system motion in the newborn and
infant is more difficult to perceive than in the
adult.
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The range and amplitude of motion are much less
in the newborn.
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The inherent energy which drives the system also
seems much less than in the adult.
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Moreover the levers (cranial vault bones) are
significantly smaller and the movement of the
membranous regions more subtle.
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DISTORTION OF THE OCCIPITAL BONE
Distortion of the four parts of the occipital bone as a result of birth trauma
Occipital squamous
portion has twisted
and compressed on to
the condylar parts
area of compression or
distortion
area of distortion and
compression on to 1st
neck vertebra
distortion of the
space of foramen
magnum
Tajinder K.Deoora, Healing through Cranial Osteopathy
(London: Francis Lincoln Ltd., 2003)
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Common intraosseous distortions of the occiput
Franklin Sills, Craniosacral
Biodynamics (Berkley: North
Atlantic Books, 2004)
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I believe that every
newborn can benefit
from an initial cranial
session upon birth.
~ Nancy Burke, CST
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CST is an extremely gentle process well
suited for children’s sensitive systems.
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For children, cranial work is an excellent
compliment to western medicine.
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CST can compliment treatment of many
childhood physical issues.
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Compression of the occipital condyles:
• A common problem found in preschool and
grade school children.
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Can be responsible for
o hyperkinetic behavior
o abnormal fears
o inability to concentrate.
The temporal and occipitomastoid sutures:
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Can be dysfunctional in children who have
dyslexia.
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Ages 0 – 2 Issues and Therapeutic Protocols
• There are a number of issues CST can address in this age
group including:
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Colic
Breast Feeding Problems
Birth Trauma
Birth Induction
Reflux
C-Section
Digestive Issues
Recovery from Falls
Immune Boosting, especially Post-Immunization
Forceps & Vacuum-assisted Deliveries
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Discomfort for babies often presents in the
digestive system.
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Digestive systems are still evolving in babies
younger than 4 months old.
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Natural for digestive distress (also known as
colic) to develop when the causative factor
for the distress has not been resolved.
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Often work on the mother is done alongside the
infant .
• Physical and emotional well being is
known to be connected between mother
and infant.
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A typical session may include work to
the pelvis and sacral area, visceral work to the
digestive system, and cranial work.
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Ages 3 – 7 Issues and Therapeutic
Interventions
• Ear infections, speech issues, immune
boosting, and asthma are some of the issues
addressed in this age group.
• Specific protocols are used for both asthma
and ear infections.
o Asthma: Includes structural work, visceral
techniques, acupressure, and cranial work.
o Ear infections: Structural work to encourage
drainage, work on the cranium and the ears.
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Ages 8 – Adolescent Issues and Therapeutic
Applications
• Orthodontics, sports injuries, car accident
traumas, anxiety, depression are some of the
issues of this age group.
• The bone structure in the cranium has finished
most of its growth by this age.
• After age seven children can be worked with just
like adults.
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Orthodontic treatment:
• Headaches and jaw issues can develop.
• A cranial session after each adjustment is
recommended to avoid any adverse reactions to
the dental work.
• Focus of CST is to bring the cranial system into
balance and work specifically on the cranium.
o with dental work the bones of the cranium
can develop fixations and restriction patterns.
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Jane E. Carreiro, An Osteopathic
Approach to Children (London:
Churchill Livingstone, 2003)
Schematic arrangement of occiput and sphenoid into the
sphenobasilar synchondrosis (SBS) strains described by William
Sutherland (A) A right-side bending rotation pattern. (B) A
right-torsion pattern. (C) A lateral strain, (D) A superior vertical
strain.
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Anxiety and Depression:
• Can have physiological roots.
• CST can address the physiological imbalances
that may be present.
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For example, a compression in the L-5-S-1 area,
the atlas occipital juncture, or the sphenoid can
contribute to physiological depression.
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Name: Mary
Age: 9 months
Gender: Female
Race/Ethnicity: African-American, Yugoslavian, Puerto
Rican, Caucasian, Filipino
Adopted; adoptive parents Caucasian
Presenting Problem(s): severe reflux, torticollis on the left
side, increased muscle tonus in both her arms and legs, and
low tonus in her trunk. Vision impairment, hypoxia, globally
dispersed damage, coordination issues and sensory issues,
plagiocephaly, and seizures.
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Name: Elise
Age: 6 weeks
Gender: Female
Race/Ethnicity: Caucasian
Presenting Problem(s): History of heart surgery;
paralyzed vocal cord; suck, swallow & breath not
coordinated; reflux; history of collapsed lung.
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Name: Andrew
Age: 10 weeks
Gender: Male
Race/Ethnicity: Caucasian; Czechoslovakian
Presenting Problem(s): Breast feeding difficulties;
disorganized suck; tongue-tie; muscle tension;
fussy; little to no eye contact.
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Symptoms experienced by babies and young people where
CST may be an appropriate referral are:
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Babies who are “uncomfortable” in their bodies
Babies who are crying a lot
Sleep difficulties
Eating issues
Ear infections
Sinus and Breathing Problems
Gastrointestinal Disturbances
Birth Trauma
Headaches
Torticollis
Learning difficulties
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CST can be a
wonderful
compliment to
western medical
treatment, helping
clients regain their
health and well
being.
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Gehin, D.O., Alain. (2011). Pediatric Seminar. Berkeley, CA.
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Shield, Benjamin, PhD. (2007). Pediatric Craniosacral
Therapy: Newborn through Age Two. Berkeley, CA.
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Upledger, D.O., F.A.A.O., John E. (1987). Craniosacral
Therapy 1 Study Guide. UI Publishing, Florida.
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Upledger, D.O., F.A.A.O., John E. & Vredevoogd, M.F.A., Jon
D. (1983). Craniosacral Therapy. Eastland Press, Seattle.
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Upledger Institute & Clinic, Palm Beach, Florida.
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