The cranium is not just one bone but it is a whole group of bones which develop together joined by sutures which “stitch” them together as one. An example is the occiput bone (at the back/bottom of the head) which is four parts at birth united by cartilage but not fusing into one bone till 6-8 years of age. There is a lot of scope for nerve irritation at this point. It is in a particularly crucial position as it is housed at the base of the brain and provides an exit point for the spinal cord.
Symptoms depend on at what stage of development they present. Initially, the baby might suffer from feeding problems, colic, reflux, irritability. The infant might suffer hearing, visual, postural, movement and upper respiratory tract problems (i.e. glue ear, asthma). In the school age child learning related problems (i.e. reading, writing, information processing) are common and often social problems may develop. In the older child often the frustration of the learning disability can lead to behavioural problems. Often an adult presents for treatment of neck pain or headaches with a strain which may have remained uncorrected from their early years.
Cranial osteopathic treatment is gentle and safe. If there is any doubt that a structural problem may be acting as a “brake” to development and learning an assessment is recommended. In practical terms; the goal is to remove any mechanical or structural hindrance which may be acting as a roadblock to normal nervous system function, development, remedial teaching or therapy.
As the child grows we want the growth process to be our friend so they “grow out of strain” and not distort further. If an uncorrected structural strain persists this may allow them to “grow into strain”
As the saying goes: “As the twig is bent so the tree grows”.
About author: Wally Johnson is a Osteopath located at Erina on the Central Coast