The Diaphragm—A Structural Key for Health

A 19-month-old boy presented with many issues. Even though his two medical doctors said he was healthy and would “grow out of“ them, mom knew something was not right.

On his examination, I found that birth trauma to his diaphragm, the main breathing muscle, appeared to be the root cause of each of his conditions below:

  • Mouth breathing: As soon as mom brought him in, I immediately saw that he had his mouth open for a while. That is a strong indication of a breathing problem, diaphragmatic restriction, and a potential airway-orthodontic-sleep apnea future.
  • Sleeping difficulty: Zero-second brain cycle babies are prone to having sleeping problems. The brain needs to be expanding and contracting to be relaxed in a parasympathetic mode.
  • Crying out in pain: Zero-second brain cycle babies may also have headaches with crying out as their only option for expression.
  • Ear infections: They are common with babies and young children with zero-second brain cycles. The fluids in the cranium need to flow well, and the cranial bones need to be moving smoothly and in a balanced position for health.
  • Constipation: The strain from the diaphragm can pull down into the intestinal area and cause constipation. Everything is connected in the fascial web.
  • Crying out in the car seat: For some infants, diaphragmatic tightness can extend posteriorly as pain into the mid-back area and result in car seat fussiness.
  • Hiccups, coughing, and burping difficulty: These are classic signs of fascial tightness in the diaphragm.

After his diaphragmatic fascia began to release, his brain cycle went from zero to sixty seconds on the first visit. I expect him to thrive as he becomes strain-free. I believe that optimal diaphragmatic function is a key for structural health.

Every newborn needs to be checked and treated, if necessary. Gillespie Approach Training is a must for all newborn practitioners.

Dr. Barry Gillespie

Dr. Barry Gillespie founded Gillespie Approach–Craniosacral Fascial Therapy, which provides patients with a freely moving brain, spinal cord and fascial web, all critical to optimal health. Dr. Barry Gillespie also created the Baby Brain Score and discovered effective therapeutic techniques for newborns and infants.

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