Craniosacral Therapy for Children
Through birth, development, and living our daily lives, the body can store tension patterns and stored energy that becomes restrictions if they aren't released. These restrictions can be caused by physical trauma, stress, or chronic tension, which may interfere with the body’s natural healing processes. By promoting the free flow of cerebrospinal fluid, releasing restrictions in membranes/fascia/connective tissue, and supporting the body in restoring its own equilibrium and balancing the craniosacral system, CST can enhance the performance of the central nervous system and support other body systems, including the musculoskeletal, circulatory, respiratory, and digestive systems.
I utilize a relationship based, child-led practice model to connect with the child.I engage in child friendly activities such as storytelling, playing with the child to develop rapport, demonstrating techniques on a favorite stuffie or family member to bring ease with the unfamiliar, and describing what is happening in a way that they can understand. When the child is offered participation in the process, it significantly reduces sympathetic nervous system response and allowing them to experience a baseline of regulation and what a parasympathetic state feels like in their body.
What can CST support?
I can share both from experience as well as general guidelines:
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Tongue tie- both the lines of tension contributing, and supporting before/after releases
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Support for orthodontic work (before, during, after)
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Non-specific drooling
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Sleep difficulties
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Emotional Regulation
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Nervous system regulation
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Digestive system difficulties
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Headaches
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Sensory integration
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Oral-motor dysfunction
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Palate restrictions
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Improving the suck/swallow/breathe in younger children/mouth breathers who can't breathe through their nose effectively.
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Jaw locking/recession
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Tension patterns leading to side preference/discomfort
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Posture
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Vestibular system balancing for children with repeat ear infections/balance difficulties
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Breathing shallowness/insufficiency (respiratory diaphragm)
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Restrictions in the abdominal cavity from fascial tension
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Attention to environment and task with attenuation from being centered/regulated in body- leading to increased eye contact, presence, ability to interact/connect with family from a regulated nervous system.
Occupational Therapy & Bodywork for Sensory Integration
As a pediatric occupational therapist, I have witnessed a significant intersection between the work I do to support with emotional regulation and sensory integration, and the experiences that bodywork and craniosacral therapy can provide. Once a child has a baseline for regulation, they then know the place that they are trying to reach to feel 'regulated' or in the 'green zone'. In both areas, CST and OT, I often work with children experiencing difficulty with regulation, and a pivotal component of my work with them is helping them to experience what regulation feels like. From here, they can establish a pathway and associate language with the different somatic experiences/feelings in their body so that they can start to understand what it all means. Bodywork for Sensory Integration is an additional layer of training you can learn more about here that I incorporate into my sessions when helpful or requested:
(This is the same session as the top photo- he was playing,laughing and fidgety-and then his entire system relaxed into the session)
Testamonial
My 18 month old had craniosacral from Dr. Amanda after an awful night of sleep and six weeks of on and off colds. Dr. Amanda was able to determine that her left lymph was stuck and got it moving again, and in turn, my daughter slept beautifully for the rest of the week and her nose started running instead of being stuffy. I am a therapist and always source very high quality partners to work with; Dr. Amanda is the highest quality OT and Craniosacral therapist out there. She moves with the flow of the kid (mine was playing everywhere, eating lunch, and would rarely stay still at our home appointment).
I was so moved that we had Dr. Amanda come back to work on my seven year old nephew. After the appointment, he was calm, kind, helpful, and it was because Dr. Amanda spent time building rapport with him before jumping into the work. My whole family was blown away. Both sessions were over an hour because Dr. Amanda believes in going slowly and following the needs of the child. I have now referred all my friends to her!
December, 2025