Developmental movement therapy and Craniosacral therapy support normal development of the young child's growing brain and body. These early intervention strategies are especially valuable during the formative first years of life. Craniosacral and developmental movement therapies are complementary and may be combined to fully address a problem.

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Developmental Movement Therapy benefits children with developmental delays and challenges by engaging natural movements. The developmental movement patterns and reflexes are nature's design to organize the young child’s brain and body. The developmental movements engage neuro-motor hook-ups that are the major power lines of the brain and establish healthy brain rhythms.  

Developmental movements form crucial pre-academic skills for the growing brain. The ABC's of pre-academic skills are: 

         A - attention

         B - balance

         C - coordination

The pre-academic ABC’s form the brain's dynamic core for early learning and for school-age learning; including reading, writing and math. Developmental movement therapy fosters pre-academic skills.

Craniosacral Therapy gently supports children’s brain growth and alignment of the head and spine. Toddler and pre-schoolers are active and growing fast. The tumbles of active play and the normal growth in the size and shape of the head can create restrictions in the tissues that are the home of the brain.

Article on craniosacral therapy

Developmental movement therapy combined with light touch of craniosacral therapy can help resolve systemic and neuro-developmental challenges that show up in early childhood, including:

• hyperactivity
• frequent tantrums
• very high need disposition

  
• very passive
• poor coordination
• poor visual tracking or focus
• poor comprehension of sounds
• language delays
• speech problems
• sensory integration problems
• problems with eating
• painful gas & other digestive problems
• excessive spitting up, reflux
• colic, inconsolable crying, screaming
• difficulty sleeping or falling asleep
• misshapen head, eyes, ears
• restricted neck movement & tilted head

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Developmental movement therapy and craniosacral therapy can address risks of neuro-developmental delay for children who have a history of:

• Difficult birth

		Healthy brain development and Neuro-Developmental Challenges Developmental movements and craniosacral health are vital in early childhood development. Early assessment and intervention can make a lifetime difference in brain function, emotional resilience and physical health. Click here to review a checklist of Risk Factors for Neuro-Developmental Delay

• Nursing or bottling problems
• Disliked tummy time as babies
• Skipped belly creeping and crawling
• Frequently arched back
• See other risk factors at link for developmental delay

 

Developmental movement therapy helps parents offer their children:

• comfort and support in doing developmental movements
• early learning activities
• developmental movements for well organized and balanced brain growth
• simple activities and hands-on support for your child's developing brain & body

Understanding how movement forms the emerging mind

• An introduction to how developmental movements organize the dynamic core of the mind

• Articles on movement and brain development

Isaac, age 3 1/2, showed hyperactivity, history of anxiety, poor sleep, speech problems, sensitive digestive and sensory systems with a family history of autism.

After three sessions, mom reported that Isaac is now more relaxed. Instead of acting out, he is verbalizing what he needs.

"Isaac has started completely dressing himself, even sox and pull ups!  He is having lots of language development. Isaac is speaking more in sentences, and does not have to be prompted to talk."            -Anna Nameny

More comments from moms on developmental movement therapy

Call Catherine Burns at 612/332-7459 or e-mail at Catherine@MamaBebe.org to discuss concerns or questions you may have about your child.

Baby development

School-age Challenges

Research Citations