Craniosacral is an alternative therapy offers a gentle physical massage to relieve pain and tension. It is done by Giving gentle manipulation of the skull to harmonize natural rhythm in the central nervous system. craniosacral therapy or also known as CST is a bodywork therapy which palpate the cranium using light and gentle touch.
Expert believe that this therapy is very beneficial for brain and the whole-body function. This therapy was developed by John Upledger in 1970. It was first developed to alleviate pain in cancer and any other illness.
According to a research in John Hopkins University, craniosacral therapy is suitable or applicable for those with autism. It is a condition where a person, especially children present some symptoms such as problems in social interaction and restricted repetitive behavior.
Regarding to it, craniosacral therapy is known to be able in calming the symptoms in person with autism. It is a beneficial finding for autism alternative therapy. In this article, you are going to find out the benefits of craniosacral therapy for people with autism.
The Craniosacral Therapy Approach for Autism
The reasons to the benefits of craniosacral therapy for autism is the focus. There are some beneficial focuses of craniosacral therapy for autism. Here are the focuses:
- The membrane layers surrounding the brain.
- The fluid movement involving blood and cerebrospinal fluid into the cranium, out of the cranium, and throughout the brain tissue.
- The areas of the body that show abnormal response to the craniosacral rhythm.
The therapy can optimize the function of the focuses above. As those focuses strongly linked with the symptoms of autism.
The benefits of craniosacral therapy for people with autism
Recent research found that craniosacral therapy is beneficial for people with autism. Here are some benefits of craniosacral therapy for people with autism that we should know.
- Reduce tension
Every aspect of craniosacral therapy can provide the feeling of calm and safe for the patients. It may involve the massage technique, place, and the most important is the capable therapist. Those aspects can relieve tension in people with autism. Makes them feel more comfortable and safe.
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- Enable children with autism to write
Children with autism commonly have difficulty in writing. It is because during the process of learning, the are unable to relax their hands and arms. But by carrying craniosacral therapy, children can relax every muscle in their body, enable them to relax and easily learn to write.
- Improve language function
The language function disorder may also appear as a symptom in autism. It may happen when the children got excessive tension around their sensory organs, such as ears and eyes. It will certainly interrupt their ability to speak and understand language.
However, the regular craniosacral therapy may relieve the tension, and remove the barrier of language acquisition. This way, the children will be able to have better communication and interaction with other people.
- Provide meditative experience
Just like the Health Benefits of Children Yoga for Mind and Body , this therapy also enables people’s mind and body to relax by decreasing the tension of the stress. It is because the therapy is usually carried in a quiet and relaxing place. It enables the patient to have meditative experience during the therapy. The therapy will also give the meditative result to relieve all the negative emotion.
- Relieve stress
People with autism spectrum disorder is prone to tension and stress. This way, the craniosacral therapy can relieve tension which will also relieve the stress. The therapy will also give a sense of relaxation which reduce the hyperactivity. As we know, hyperactivity also improve the possibility of stress.
To optimize the result, it is also recommended to give the suitable diet for people with autism. For example, we can take an advantage from the Health Benefits of Carlson Fish Oil .
- Build trust in others
People with autism commonly difficult to trust the other as they have problem in communication and interaction. But by carrying craniosacral therapy, people with autism may fix that problem. It is because during the process of therapy, the therapist may give hand-on therapy which stimulate the release of oxytocin hormone. Oxytocin is a hormone which present the feeling of trust and comfort to other people.
The patient or in this case people with autism may firstly learn how to trust and build communication with the therapist who gently touch and massage the patient to give the relaxation. But further, the patient will also able to gradually fix the communication and interaction problems.
- Correct nervous system
Craniosacral therapy developed by John Upledger was also designed to correct the nervous system. It is possible since during the therapy, the patient will be embraced as unique individual. The therapist will give the acceptance, also the delicate touch and technique application. This way, the therapy session can decrease the level of abnormal inflammation, sensation, tension, toxicity, and chaos in the brain to aid nervous system efficiency.
Recommendation in craniosacral therapy
It is important to consider some points before taking your children or family to the craniosacral therapy. The first, you should make sure that you choose the recommended therapy provider with experienced professional and well-trained therapist. It is because therapist plays significant role in the success of therapy process.
And although craniosacral involve massage, not all massage therapist is able to provide craniosacral massage. The other thing, routine is an important matter for therapies, including craniosacral. Make sure that you take children or person with autism to go through therapy once a week for at least 2 months or after the problems are alleviated.
The singe session of therapy may range from fifteen minutes to an hour and done without removing clothing different from spa and reflexology. For a success therapy, it needs advance support from the family. Or else, family can also provide the other activities to support autism, such as Health Benefits of Pets for Families.