CST in a Case of Cranio-facial Trauma

Therapist John Dalton RCST
Patient's birth year & month 1992 November
Date of first treatment 4/10/1997 Age 5 yrs old

Symptoms/Conditions
By the time she was 3 years old she was under the care of 13 specialists connected with the Cranio Facial Unit at the Mater Children’s hospital in Brisbane. These included cranio facial surgeons, an orthodontist, a speech therapist and an ophthalmologist

Jill had a cranio facial disorder causing the right side of her face to have a squashed in appearance around her right eye while the right side of her forehead bulged in comparison to the left side. She was getting headaches that would last for as long as 4 days, there was some concern regarding potential damage to Jill's hearing and the pressure that was being put on her brain and right eye. Her jaw development was inhibited and this was affecting her speech, she had developing a noticeable lisp. Her mental functioning was unaffected though there was concern that this would become affected in time.
Jill was facing the prospect of having extensive cranio facial surgery once she had reached a viable age for such procedures. These would involve separating the skin from the underlying tissue, and rolling it away from her face so that the bones could be accessed. It would then be necessary to break certain facial bones in order to start the reconstruction process. In Jill’s case, her jaw would have had to be broken also.

I have a great respect for Mothers, for their intuition regarding their children and their determination to help them, no mater what. Jill’s mum was exceptional in this regard. She felt there must be a better way for Jill. When three different people mentioned my name to her, in the same day, she made the phone call.

Treatment progress
It felt to me like Jill had got stuck in her mum’s womb in an awkward position that put a lot of pressure on her head and imprinted a pattern of restriction in her soft head that the forming bones grew into.
I saw Jill every week for 8 weeks. The difference from week to week was utterly . . . tiny. Often in a treatment program, I will feel changes internally though nothing is apparent on the outside. With Jill the amount of movement from week to week was 1 or 2 microns at best. I knew those 2 microns would accumulate over time but it was slow going. Those little bones were stuck good.
Did I mention that Jill’s mother was a legend. She brought Jill week after week even though there was no sign of improvement, for nearly 2 months. Finally, on the 8th week there was an extensive release, right at the centre of the restriction pattern that was holding the bones tight.
Jill and her mother had to go upstate for 12 weeks so I didn’t get to see the effect of this release until they returned.
It was remarkable.
There was a huge improvement in her face and head. The picture on the left was taken while she was upstate.
There was still a lot of consolidation work to be done after that.
Jill had 23 treatments over the next year. In some of the sessions she released the trauma of getting stuck in her mum’s womb, spontaneously roaring, ‘'Let me go. Let me out of here.'
Jill’s mum worked as a receptionist for 2 doctors. They were open to non-mainstream treatments and had watched Jill’s progress since she had begun treatment. Jill’s mum told me they were astounded at the transformation. They weren’t the only ones. The orthodontist was absolutely bowled over by the improvement. He said, and I quote, 'Wow. – Mrs Orange, what have you done to Jill's face!’ The speech therapist was amazed, too. Jill's bite had improved, and her speech had changed - the lisp was not nearly so noticeable. Even the ophthalmologist was very pleased with the right eye. He was impressed by her improvement - but cautiously so, preferring not to comment on the method of treatment.
Cranio what?
By March 1999 I felt we had done enough for the time being.
They returned in June 1999.
Jill had gone for her assessment with the cranio facial team at the Mater. The chief surgeon decided she had, ‘Grown out of it.’ and cancelled the major cranio facial surgery. He was concerned about her internal mouth shape and jaw alignment and said they would go ahead with the jaw surgery in a year if it didn’t improve.
Jill had 9 more treatments over the next 8 months. Finishing in February 2000.
At Jill’s next assessment with the cranio facial team the jaw surgery was also cancelled.

Follow up
I contacted Jill’s mum in 2002. Jill’s face continues to remain symmetrical and she has developed none of the symptoms she was threatened with.

Patient's comment
On that initial 8 week period with little apparent improvement. "I know there are no "quick fixes" in natural therapies, that there are always times during treatment when you hit a brick wall. It was a combination of that knowledge, plus an instinct that told me we just had to keep on with it."

On Jill releasing "Jill experienced three extraordinary emotional releases. The first time, she was just lying there, with her hands loose by her sides, but with her jaw clenched. She started yelling: 'Let me go. Let me out of here.' I believe she regressed to her time in the womb when her hands and feet were caught, and she was crying out in frustration. Afterwards, she had no memory of what had happened, and she wasn't upset with John in any way."

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The full case study with pictures can be accessed at www.cranio.com.au