Hello, Lyla.
       I am happy that you find the CranioSacral article useful.  You
reported that some babies have done well with chiropractic and others with
CranioSacral Therapy.  And you also asked how you might decide between the two when
trying to decide how to refer a mom.
       I, too, have seen differences.  Sometimes a baby will make some
progress with one type of bodywork, then seem to get "stuck".  If at that point, the
mom switches to the other type of therapy, sometimes the baby starts to make
more progress again.  One of the CS therapists I refer to actually likes it
when babies are doing both CST and chiropractic at the same time.  She feels
that the chiropractic helps to "loosen things up" so that the CST can work more
quickly.
       If a mom is willing to do whatever I suggest (oh, how I like those
moms!), then I sometimes suggest both.  But I know that usually neither of these
therapies is covered by insurance, so money can be a factor.  When trying to
pick one, if the problem seems to be mainly in the head, such as facial tension
or a really high palate, or a tongue off to the side, I will usually suggest
the CranioSacral therapist first.  If the baby shows "body" symptoms (such as
neck that doesn't turn well or body that curves like a crescent moon), either
alone or with "head" symptoms, then I'm more likely to recommend a
chiropractor first.
       The wonderful thing about the pediatric chiropractor I refer to is
that he is a team player.  He will size up a situation and expect it to be
remedied in a certain number of visits.  (And he's usually right on the mark.)  But
if he is working with a baby, and the baby has come two times in a row with no
further improvement, but is not completely "fixed" yet, this chiropractor
calls me and says, "OK, Dee, you saw the baby in the beginning, and here's where
s/he is now.  Who do you think we should send the baby to now?"  It's
wonderful.
       But sometimes the first choice I make is the one the mother is more
comfortable with.  I may really think the baby ought to be seen by the pediatric
chiropractor, but if the mother is just not going to get comfortable with
that idea, then I refer her to a CS therapist instead.  I'd rather try to get
*some* improvement than none at all.  And sometimes CS is all that's needed, and
sometimes it isn't.  But if the mother has seen that the first therapist I
referred to was able to help her child some, then the mother *might* (definitely
not always) be a little more willing to risk taking her child to the
chiropractor if CS didn't resolve all the problems.
       And sometimes when I have to choose one type of therapy for referral,
I simply go by what my gut tells me. :)
       Dee

Dee Kassing, BS, MLS, IBCLC
Collinsville, Illinois, in central USA

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