The management of this case has me perplexed.
A 2½-year-old boy presented with feeding, swallowing, choking, and airway issues. He was currently in a feeding program at a children’s hospital.
He had a history of breastfeeding issues with questionable oral ties. When he was three months old, mom consulted with a skilled IBCLC, who diagnosed Sandifer Syndrome (severe arching straining into his throat), and appropriately referred him to me.
His parents rejected that recommendation. I believe this was a huge missed window of opportunity for correction.
I make a big deal about arching because that fascial strain pattern can create havoc anywhere from the pelvis through the trunk and into the head. As the root cause of a possible lifetime of conditions, that birth trauma must be revisited and cleared—never a pleasant journey.
After working with the best doctors and therapists for two years, this toddler now had a zero-second brain cycle and a severe arching pattern pulling into his throat. The Gillespie Approach appeared to be the missing piece of his healing.
At his first therapy session, he became very uncomfortable, as I had cautioned his parents. Regardless, mom had that horrified "mommy hormones" look, and the child distinctly refused any more therapy—an early end to the therapy session.
If we had done our work at three months of age, there probably would have been many visits of crying but almost certainly a positive outcome. Now, I cannot envision a clear healing path for this child to be comfortable and mom not be upset with therapy.
The second missed therapeutic window of opportunity was at birth. If he had this therapy on his first day of life, his current predicament could probably have been prevented.
People worldwide are suffering needlessly. Every newborn needs the skills of a birth provider with Gillespie Approach Infant Training.
