Broad reach of the Gillespie Approach - boy running - Gillespie Approach–Craniosacral Fascial Therapy

The Broad Reach of the Gillespie Approach

Sometimes, a child has a laundry list of issues that most health professionals casually dismiss. They all can have common ground in the function of the craniosacral fascial system.

A five-year-old presented with many conditions. He had a hard four-hour delivery that ended with vacuum extraction.

He had difficulty latching, reflux, difficulty sleeping, and often banged his head on the crib. He had a zero-second brain cycle, and his neck fascia was extremely tight.

This is a review of his issues with possible explanations relating to the Gillespie Approach:

High Energy

This child was stuck deep in sympathetic nervous system mode of fight or flight after a tough birth. He found it difficult, if not impossible, to flip into the parasympathetic nervous system mode of calm and relaxed. I believe this is a universal problem for the human race.

Sensory Behavior

He often hit himself in the head and chest. Sometimes, he rushed to get in a family member’s face.

Sensitive to Loud Noises

Before he came into the office, his dad warned him of the noisy toilet flushing in the building’s hallway.

Nervous System Tics

He often exhibited tics with no medical explanation.

Snoring

To hear a child this young snoring was a huge red flag for airway issues and the need for Gillespie Approach and an orthodontic consultation.

Difficulty Chewing

He was a slow eater and often did not have enough time to eat lunch at school. The tight fascia probably extended to his muscles of mastication.

Difficulty Swallowing

The parents consulted a food therapist without successful resolution. Tight fascial strain was likely causing a problem in his throat.

Difficulty Sleeping

An infant or child poor sleeper is characteristic of a tight head or zero-second brain cycle.

Grinds His Teeth

I believe some children grind their teeth, along with head banging in infancy as noted above, to try to free the tightness in their heads.

Constipation

Compression of the vagus nerve can disturb the function of the large intestine, leading to constipation.

Nasolacrimal Duct Blockage Causing Goopy and Pink Eye

When his first surgery for nasolacrimal duct blockage failed, doctors recommended a second repeat surgery.

I wondered that, if it failed the first time, why would it be successful the second time? Besides, surgery just creates more fascial strain and tightness in the area.

I see it as a fascial problem where the fascial tightness in that area needs to be released. In my view, nasolacrimal surgery is way over the top.

End of the First Visit

At the end of the first visit, the fascia in his entire head and neck released well to a 140-second brain cycle. It was as if his body was just waiting for this therapy. His “sin” was that he had a difficult birth.

I told his dad, a former patient, that he may be seeing a different child soon. Gillespie Approach Training is a must to help children with difficult issues.

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  • January 25–27 | Melbourne, FL
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  • May 17–19 | Westfield, IN
  • June 28–30 | Bozeman, MT
  • August 9–11 | Boise, ID
  • October 4–6 | Olathe, KS
  • November 15–17 | Newtown Square, PA

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