Healthcare professionals need to question why a young child breathes through her mouth and snores. Please note that the above awkwardly-lying girl may be in a “comfortable” former fetal position, the possible root cause of her problem.
A seven-year-old girl presented with snoring and mouth breathing issues. When her mother questioned the pediatrician and dentist separately, nothing in their view appeared to be amiss. In my world, these two red flags necessitated craniosacral fascial therapy and orthodontics.
She arrived seven days late, and mom was on pitocin for 26 hours before delivering. The newborn was vomiting green for a few days, but an upper GI test showed no overt pathology.
Her sole newborn/infant issue was reflux, which still may be present; she may not have “outgrown it” as the pediatrician had advised. Doctors also picked up a heart murmur, which was also being monitored.
She had a zero-second brain cycle, which indicated birth trauma. My primary finding was a tight, restricted diaphragm, which was pulling through her chest into her neck and head.
Since the fascia was tight in the main breathing muscle of her body, she understandably had trouble breathing through her nose. That strain also caused tightness throughout her respiratory system, which almost certainly contributed to her snoring.
I have seen many children who have had heart murmurs. Since the fascial web connects every cell of the body including all of the heart valves, fascial strain running through the heart can sometimes alter their function.
I feel that her newborn GI issue was probably due to birth fascial strain that affected the tissues between her diaphragm and head. In her case, this tightness directly restricted her airway tissues.
Airway conditions may not be exclusively a dental problem but may originate with a tight diagram and/or tracheobronchial tree. Orthodontists need to look outside of the mouth to get the full picture of a child’s condition.
Her fascial web released nicely as her brain cycle opened to 70 seconds. Mom was amazed because she immediately switched to nose breathing even while still on the therapy table.
I expect her to do well with continued treatment and referred her to Dr. Joanna Walska in Newtown, Pennsylvania, for orthodontic care. It is critical that the child works with an orthodontist who is aware of brain motion and fascial strain.
Gillespie Approach Training is a must for pediatric healthcare practitioners.
Mom’s Response
"Prior to meeting with Dr. Barry, we completed an appointment with an airway dentist who identified narrow nasal passages, highly swollen lymph nodes, and the possibility of reflux still being present. I was unaware my daughter could still be experiencing reflux at 7 years of age.
"Watching Dr. Gillespie gently work through the first session with my daughter, I saw that she suddenly stopped breathing through her mouth on the table. Following the few days since her first session, I've noticed her continuing to breathe through her nose successfully.
"She has already stopped snoring at night, and I see her now exclusively breathing through her nose at night with a closed mouth. Less than one week ago, she would have only breathed through her mouth during the night.
"My main goal for my daughter is to have open airway passages for her to breathe properly. We can then start to better loosen and expand her palate so her mouth has room for her adult teeth. I am also hoping the Gillespie Approach will help with the lymph inflammation and bring her relief of any ongoing reflux issues from birth.
"We are only one session in, and it was extraordinary to witness this shift after just one visit. I am so incredibly grateful."
