Another case from approximately 20 years ago, but this case really demonstrates the power of the Osteopathic Techniques. I was treating Susan, and I had known her for years as she was a patient. She was about 60 and had 2 daughters. I had treated Jennifer and her husband but not the other daughter, Julie. On that day of treatment, Susan told me that Julie had just given birth to Mia. She described that the birth was problematic in that Mia had been hung up on Mom’s pubic bone during delivery. The birth was difficult for both Julie and her newborn daughter, Mia.
Susan related that when Mia was brought home, after 4 days, she turned blue in her crib. Dad ran across the street as a physician lived there. The physician ran to Julie’s home and revived Mia. The ambulance had been called, and she was transported to the ER. After several days in the hospital and multiple tests, a reason for the near SIDS case wasn’t found. All tests were normal. Mia was sent home with an alarm that would go off whenever she stopped breathing. Grandma Susan told me the alarm was going off 150+ times per day, and when it went off, Julie and her husband shook her to get her to breathe. Susan reported that Julie and her husband feared they might lose their daughter. They were stressed, sleep-deprived, and not doing well.
After Susan related all of this to me, she asked me if there was anything I could do. I said I didn’t know but would like to take a look at her. Before Susan left the clinic, it was confirmed with Mia’s parents that I would be there that evening at 6:30 to examine her. So picture this: I show up at Julie’s home, someone I have never met, meet her very suspicious husband, to examine their newborn daughter, now about 8 days old. We decided to place several thick quilts on the dining room table and use it as a makeshift baby treatment table. I am surprised to this day that Mia’s parents trusted me enough. Evidently, Grandma carries a lot of influence.
On examination, Mia was a happy and healthy newborn. On cranial exam, she presented with severe posterior cranial dysfunction. As some of you know, the occiput at birth is composed of 4 parts. The squamal portion, the basilar portion, and 2 condylar portions that are just lateral to the brain stem. Unfortunately, during some kinds of cranial birth trauma, the parts get jammed and can compress the brain stem link a pincer. The brainstem contains the autonomic centers for the cardiac and respiratory centers. Thus, the impulse for the urge to breathe starts in the brain stem.
So, I treated Mia on the dining room table for about 40 minutes. Treatment was directed at the condylar parts of the occiput and the sphenobasilar junction. On Monday morning, Julie called the clinic to schedule Mia for more treatment. Evidently, the alarms decreased from 150 per day to 6 per day.
I treated Mia approximately 6 times over the course of 4 weeks. At the time of discharge, all involved were sleeping and doing well.
The icing on the cake was that when Mia was 17 years old, I had the fortunate opportunity to treat her again for a neck/shoulder issue. What a delight !!
Have fun with this work, and never cease to be amazed.
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