Throat issues often get overlooked at birth and during infancy. No one is asking the question why?
An eleven-month-old baby presented with gagging and swallowing issues. His mother said that he just does not seem to like food. He also had some reflux, constipation, and sleep problems.
I believe that two red flags for therapy were missed as a newborn. He did not take his first breath right away, and he choked during nursing.
He presented with a zero-second brain cycle and a very tight neck and throat. Otherwise his body’s fascial web was loose.
I spent the first visit working in his throat and neck areas. He released to a brain cycle of only 50 seconds, indicating that he had more layers of strain.
On the second visit, his mother said that he had a greater interest in food. I hypothesize that he had an easier time swallowing it.
She had never looked at the problem in that light. I had seen it before with other babies, and it just made sense to me.
When I look at an infant, I see them as either tight or loose. If they are tight in a specific area, that body system usually has trouble functioning optimally.
I believe the solution of a lot of unexplained pediatric problems can be found in the function of the craniosacral fascial system. If the fascia is tight in the throat, conditions like choking, gagging, and swallowing difficulty can result.
Later in life, there may be a speech condition and a need for orthodontic work. Aging makes correction more difficult because the patient needs to revisit and clear the offending birth trauma.
The Gillespie Approach aims to look at the root cause of a condition. Since so many problems are due to birth trauma, it makes sense to do preventative work on day one to wipe the fascial slate clean.
Gillespie Approach Training is a great modality for birth providers.
Mom Emails
“He has been chattier and louder since we saw you yesterday. He also slept for 6 hours straight last night, which he hasn’t done in a very long time.”
My Response
His voice box is releasing, and his brain cycle is opening well. Babies in sympathetic nervous system mode with tight heads almost always have trouble sleeping because they are too wired.
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