2023 Articles Gillespie Approach–Craniosacral Fascial Therapy Articles

Newborn Effectiveness of the Gillespie Approach

Dr. Barry Gillespie April 24, 2023

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Having seen many newborns since 1980, I have a gradation of confidence of correction in my mind. There are no scientific studies around this list, just my clinical experience over the decades with newborns. As a newborn provider, you need to be comfortable with your own expected outcomes.

Parents may ask about the chances of possible correction. I hate to boast and overplay the effectiveness of the work and tend to tone down the parental expectations.

They need to realize that no healthcare provider in Pennsylvania can ethically guarantee a successful result with their newborn. I also understand they are spending time and money and always make the final decision to try, reject, or discontinue therapy.

Please remember that my newborns have already been seen by the best medical doctors, who have no disease explanation or corrective therapy. I also set the bar incredibly high for myself. If a newborn does not respond well, I am always asking these questions: “Why?”, “What am I missing?”, and “What needs to be discovered?” That thinking moves the work forward.

Confident for all newborns: Breastfeeding issues, colic, reflux, gas, indigestion, and constipation. Reflux is almost always the last condition to clear. The newborn may have a dairy, soy, or wheat issue if the gas, indigestion, and constipation get better but do not completely clear.

Confident for the large majority of newborns: strabismus, stridor, laryngomalacia, pyloric stenosis, clubfoot, failure to thrive, torticollis and plagiocephaly (depending on the severity of cranial distortion).

Confident for more than 50% of newborns: hydrocephalus, craniosynostosis, and chiari malformation. Because of the severe nature of these conditions, I feel the work is worth a try before surgery.

Sample size too small for an accurate determination for newborns: Heart murmur, premature ventricular contraction, and atrial heart septum defect. Not sure if therapy can help, but worth a try.