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0406 249 221

CST For Kids

CranioSacral Therapy (CST) is a gentle, hands-on therapy that is effective for a myriad of issues experienced by infants, children and teenagers.

Please note, we are currently unable to accept any new infant clients.

CranioSacral Therapy for Babies & Children

Even the most natural of births can place tension on a newborn babies nervous system. During labour a newborn leaves their warm, safe, secure environment in utero and enters the bright, noisy, unfamiliar world. Sometimes it is necessary for some intervention, whether this be assistance from forceps or ventouse or a cesarean birth and this can contribute to minor tension patterns within the newborn. Whatever the birth experience, CST can help a newborn baby recover and thrive in their life.

How Can CST Help Babies?

CranioSacral Therapy for babies and children is a specialist area.

Common reasons to seek CranioSacral Therapy for your baby include (but not limited to):

DIFFICULT BIRTH
Long labour or pushing stage, caesarean birth, ventouse or forceps delivery.

BREASTFEEDING CHALLENGES/LATCHING ISSUES
A babies’ sense of smell is an important part of their feeding, as is their “rooting” reflex (one of their primitive reflexes). Any tension patterns in the head can interrupt or alter these reflexes and contribute to feeding issues.

Assisted deliveries such as ventouse and forceps deliveries can increase tension in the babies’ membranes (the connective tissues that surrounds the brain and spinal cord). This can change the shape of a babies palate which can contribute to their ability to draw the nipple in or suck. It can also create tension under the tongue, again having affect on feeding.

TONGUE OR LIP TIE
Tongue/lip or cheek ties are becoming more commonly diagnosed, often as a result of seeking advice about breastfeeding difficulties.  It may be necessary for the tie to be “revised” or “lasered”.  However, these ties are usually part of a larger tension pattern in the system.  Often your Dentist or Lactation consultant will refer your baby for CranioSacral Therapy to assist with helping the body self-correct.

FUSSY/HARD TO SOOTHE BABIES
The bones in our heads (the cranial bones) can often become restricted and tight. This might feel like there is a tight band around our head, similar to the feeling of wearing a headband that is too tight and it gives us a headache. When the cranial bones are tight we can feel irritable, have difficulty concentrating and generally feel a bit ‘off’. This is the same in babies, toddlers and older children.

SLEEPING CONCERNS
Often newborns “catnap” and don’t seem to sleep for long periods or time or their sleep/wake cycles seem out of balance with day/night! CST can help babies find an equilibrium with their sleep cycles by helping their nervous systems calm down.

HEAD MISSHAPEN (OR HAS BUMPS/RIDGES)
Misshapen heads or “flat spots” are a relatively common occurrence in newborns. It can occur due to a little compression from forceps or a ventouse delivery. Other times it may be related to tensions in the pelvis or rib cage or a mild tightening in one side of the neck (called torticollis) causing the baby to favour lying on one side when sleeping or in the capsule. Head-shape issues can over time contribute to colic and reflux and mild delays in development.

DIGESTIVE ISSUES (INCLUDING COLIC, REFLUX & CONSTIPATIONS)
We have a nerve that goes to all of our organs (called the vagus nerve). This nerve comes out of the head just behind the ear. If we get tight or stuck in this area it can irritate or squeeze the nerve and create issues with the organs such as colic or reflux.

GENERAL DEVELOPMENT/GROSS MOTOR SKILLS
Our nervous systems are integral to our ability to learn and develop new skills. In babies these are things such as learning to roll, sit, crawl, talk and walk. If our nervous system is tight or restricted a lot of energy goes into maintaining those restrictions rather than on developing new pathways for skill development. CST can assist in these developmental processes.

 

How Can CST Help Older Children?

At Evolve Manual Therapy almost half of our client list is children between the ages of 4 and 13 years old!  We work with children for a variety of different reasons, but one of the things many of them have in common is difficulty in regulating their nervous systems.  When the nervous system is not regulating well, it can end up in a state of persistent “fight or flight“.  This might look like emotional outbursts, anxiety, tantrums, difficulty sleeping, difficulty learning, difficulty concentrating, irritable stomach, changes to toileting. issues with loud noises, difficulty with food textures and more!

This is because the nervous system is unable to shift into its “rest and digest” phase easily.  When our body is in “fight or flight” it does not prioritise easy sleep, easy digestion, calm emotions, learning and concentrating, because it is more focussed on keeping us safe.

CranioSacral Therapy is a very gentle, hands-on treatment that aims to teach the nervous system how to regulate itself more easily, come to a state of stillness and balance, and learn how to stay there.

 

What does a CranioSacral Therapy session look like for your child?

 

Our therapists will always start out by listening to your concerns as a parent, but we will also talk to your child and find out from them what they are experiencing.  We will talk to your child about what to expect during the treatment so that they are prepared for what is to come and empowered to understand what is happening in their own bodies.

 

Positioning during treatment

 

We understand that children don’t always find it easy to lie still, so we adapt and work with them in a variety of different positions so that they are more comfortable.  This could be on the treatment table, on the floor, in the beanbag, in a chair, in a teepee and anything else we can think of!  We will often change position several times during the treatment, so that your child is able to move if they need to.  This also gives them some mini-breaks throughout the session to help their body and nervous system integrate the changes that are occurring.

 

Children often move their body throughout the treatment, this is an important and necessary part of the therapy.  As the body releases tension and the nervous system shifts gears, this can look like spontaneous movement.  We love this when it happens and will encourage your child to move gently if they need to.  Other times, we will help your child to find a comfortable position so that they can lie still.

 

Staying focussed and entertained during treatment 

 

We know that some children can find treatment “boring”!  So we have a range of sensory toys, books, educational games, fine motor activities, communication activities, building activities and more that they can engage with throughout the session.  When you first arrive, you will find a big bookcase full of activities in the waiting area near admin.  We encourage your child to get a tray and fill it with anything they find interesting, they can engage with these activities during their session and at times our therapists will utilise specific things to assist with the therapy.

If your child has a favourite game, toy or book we also encourage them to bring those to the session.  We always try to start with non-electronic activities to begin with, but we are also totally fine if you want to give your child a device to watch something on.  Whatever helps them receive treatment!

 

The treatment is gentle, but sometimes your child might experience sensations in their body that are unfamiliar.  We encourage them to let us know, we talk to them about it and let them know in age-appropriate language what is happening.  We want them to feel part of the session and to gain more insight into their body and experiences.

 

What do children see us for?

 

Here are just some of the reasons children come for CranioSacral Therapy (certainly not limited to just these things and we encourage you to chat with us if you would like more info):


Braces, Bite and Jaw Issues

Headaches/Migraines

Sleep Issues

Learning challenges

Auditory and Sensory processing disorders

Speech and language development

Gross and fine motor skill development

Seizure disorders/Epilepsy

Anxiety (self-regulation dysfunction)

NDIS FUNDING

We are experienced in working with NDIS clients and are able to offer treatment under your NDIS funding – both SELF-MANAGED and PLAN-MANAGED.

Our therapists are also able to write reports to support funding requests.  Please feel free to speak with our administration team if you need a report or funding support letter.

Please bring a copy of your NDIS plan to your initial consult, either a digital or printed copy.

 

Evolve’s mission is to empower people to take a creative role in their own health and wellbeing.

We offer an integrated approach to mindbody medicine through Holistic Manual Therapy, CranioSacral Therapy and SomatoEmotional Release.

Contact Us

PHONE

0406 249 221

ADELAIDE CLINIC

10 Sydenham Road, Norwood

Our Hours

BY APPOINTMENT

Monday: 10.15am - 4.30pm
Tuesday: 11.30am - 7.00pm
Wednesday: 10.15am - 4.15pm
Thursday: 9.00am - 6.00pm
Friday: 9.45am - 1.15pm