I think differently from most healthcare providers because common sense guides me. I will take all my medical knowledge, add everything I know about my approach, add in what the patient is presenting, and then come to a common sense conclusion.
A three-month-old presented with difficulty swallowing, fast breathing, and a weak cry. Since he was not able to swallow at all, a G-tube was inserted. The parents have to continually suction out the saliva from his mouth because it pools in his throat.
His doctor looked at all of the tests and said that his basal ganglia might be the problem. He was not sure, and could not make a definitive diagnosis.
So where does that leave the parents? Maybe that is the problem, maybe not. If it is, what is the solution? Now they are still left with an infant who cannot function normally.
On my examination, his body was very tight, and he was especially restricted in his throat. I know from past experience that fascial strain from the body can pull into the throat.
The suprahyoid and infrahyoid muscles were very tight, literally keeping him from swallowing. Since every muscle cell of the body is surrounded by a thin layer of fascia like Saran Wrap, birth traumas can strain these tissues to prevent effective swallowing, along with causing a weak cry and difficulty in breathing.
Common sense told me to help peel his fascial layers of trauma over a series of visits and see how he responds. Since our massage technique does not involve surgery, drugs, or technology, no harm can be done.
I have done 3½ hours of therapy with him. His body is much freer, but I still have more work to do, especially in his throat. Because this tissue is very sensitive, longer breaks are needed during his sessions.
I am suggesting that doctors go back to basic medical school anatomy and physiology and ask themselves the best way to normalize these tissues. I wish this child had received the Gillespie Approach at birth before the G-tube was inserted.
