The development of a child, as it progresses through its first decade, depends upon the ability to hear, see and communicate as well as to have the motor skills to execute the results of those auditory, visual and cognitive interactions and processes. Osteopaths observe in clinical practice that osteopathic treatment can help visual function, the perception of sound and the child's ability to achieve balance and co-ordination.
Dr Viola Frymann, the Director of the Osteopathic Centre for Children in San Diego California reported in 1976 that in the sample of 106 children with no learning difficulties 28.3% had a history of considerable trauma before or during birth, whereas of 103 with learning difficulties 72.8% had a history of a traumatic birth. In a subsequent study published in 1992 Dr. Frymann showed that the neurological performance of the 186 children in the study improved significantly and continued over a several months interval following treatment.
More recently, Dr. Stephen Blood was able to demonstrate a change for the better in the slow wave activity in the central and frontal portions of the cortex of patients in the pilot study. Dr. Jaspers and various other researchers, had previously identified this pattern of increased low-frequency EEG power to be characteristically present in ADD/ADHD patients. For children with ADD/ADHD, the goal is to reduce Theta, slow wave activity associated with daydreaming which interferes with concentration, information processing and other organized cognitive activities.
