Cranial osteopathy and Cranio Sacral Therapy (CST), which have become highly popular in recent years, involve subtle and gentle adjustments to the cranial or skull bones, and the sacrum or tail bone.

It is particularly suitable and effective for the treatment of infants and young children with developmental, learning and behavioural problems such as autism, attention deficit disorder (ADD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Of course, adults can benefit from this form of osteopathic manipulation as well.

The current high level of interest in cranial osteopathy is due largely to Dr John Upledger (above), who, through The Upledger Institute, has widely promoted his version of the technique called Cranio Sacral Therapy or CST.

In the mid-1970s, Dr Upledger taught at the European School of Osteopathy in Maidstone, England.

Dr David Tio of Osteopathic Treatment Centre was a student at the European School of Osteopathy at that time, and he was among the early batches of students to study with Dr Upledger.

Cranial osteopathy itself was developed in the early 1900s by Dr William Garner Sutherland (below), one of the chief disciples of Dr Andrew Taylor Still, the man who founded osteopathy in 1872.

Dr Sutherland was the first to propose the idea (although Dr Still alluded to it) that the body’s entire nervous system ? including the skull ? was in ?constant rhythmic motion? and that this motion was crucial to health. When the movements were restricted, adverse symptoms would arise.

Dr Sutherland even tested the theories on his own head. When he deliberately created restrictions, he experienced symptoms such as depression, severe headaches or jaw pain. When he released those restrictions, the symptoms went away.