What is craniosacral therapy [ CST ] and how can it help your child's development?
At CHIRO FOR KIDZ our pediatric specialists offer this therapy to all our pediatric patients as an adjunct to their chiropractic care!
What is Craniosacral Therapy?
Craniosacral therapy [ CST ] is a gentle technique used to release tightness and tension in the soft tissues surrounding the brain + spinal cord. The practitioner does this by evaluating the movement and pulsation of the cerebral spinal fluid flowing beneath the cranial bones that surrounds the entire central nervous system [ brain + spinal cord ]!
Benefits & Goals of CST:
- reduce tension in the body + central nervous system
- support flow of cerebrospinal fluid in the central nervous system removing "blockages"
- enhance the body's ability to heal [ and recover post birth ]
- alleviate pain + remove stressors
- guide cranial bones to neutral position after birth [ preventing flat spots ]
- non-invasive
- very gentle pressure [ the weight of a nickel! ]
Common Conditions that Benefit from Craniosacral
- Plagiocephaly [ irregular head shape ]
- Torticollis [ one-sided neck tightness ]
- Nursing / feeding difficulties
- Sleeping disturbances
- Motor coordination
- Tongue + lip ties
- Reflux / spit up
- Colic / gassiness / fussiness
***PRO TIP: In conjunction with a chiropractic adjustment, CST can help newborns recover after the birth process!***
The overall goal of CST is to support optimal brain health as well as the growth and development of the nervous system. Why is this so important for newborns? Their brain volume increases over 100% in the first year of life. And as the brain grows structurally it has equal growth of cognitive and motor skills!
What about CST for older kids?
Older kiddos also benefit from CST! The cranial bones in the skull are separate so they can overlap during the birth process. These bones don't come together and close until a child is 2.5 years old. They won't fully fuse until we are in our 20's!
As children continue to grow & develop they go through a lot of emotional and physical changes. CST can support them through these processes. Other benefits of CST for older KIDZ include:
- anxiety
- emotional stress
- ear infections / congestion
- migraines + headaches
- sleep disturbances
- TMJ / jaw pain
The best part about our clinic is we can do this technique while children play!
We do our best each day to make each child feel comfortable + confident + safe in our space! This means chasing them around sometimes while performing our techniques.
It's one of our favorite parts of the job!!
