Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/296580
ANATOMICAL CONCERNS When I do craniosacral work, regardless of the client's age, I am first and foremost guided by what I perceive from the client's body and CRI. That being said, the anatomist in me does worry over some critical areas of a newborn's body. When we are born, our bones have not yet fully developed. Notably, the bones that form the base of the skull, the vertebrae, and the pelvis are still partially cartilage, ensuring the give and flexibility that will allow for an easier passage through the birth canal. The occiput doesn't become a single solid bone until approximately age 6; the cervical vertebra does not solidify until age 8; and the bones of the pelvis may not fuse until the second decade of life. The foramina—little holes in the bones that the cranial and spinal nerves travel through—also have give and flexibility. If the compression of these bones during birth is transmitted to the foramina, the nerves passing through them will be compressed as well. In most births, these compressions are transitory and any potential injury to the nerves is quickly resolved. I believe, however, that the occasional child will have a lasting compression that could impact her into adulthood, and craniosacral work is very important for these children. The following regions of the body are areas that I pay particular attention to when I am working with infants. Vagus Nerve: The vagus nerve is the 10th cranial nerve (CN X). This nerve is the source of parasympathetic innervation to the organs of the chest and the upper gut. Its innervation to the upper gut (esophagus, stomach, duodenum, pancreas, liver, and adrenal glands, to name a few) helps activate gut peristalsis, gastric emptying of contents into the small intestine, and the release of gastric acid and digestive enzymes. I consider this nerve any time an infant is described as having symptoms of colic. If a decrease of parasympathetic innervation would delay digestion or gastric emptying, it seems apparent that such a child would feel gassy and bloated. The vagus nerve exits the skull at the jugular foramen, which is a hole between the occipital and the temporal bones. As the head of the infant travels through the birth canal, pressure from the vaginal walls can compress these two bones together, potentially deforming the jugular foramen and impinging on the vagus nerve. I like to address this area by using a mastoid hold. I let the pads of my fingers (usually my middle and ring fingers) contact the medial aspect of the mastoid processes and palpate the rhythm. If this area feels 70 m a s s a g e & b o d y w o r k m a y / j u n e 2 0 1 4