John E. Upledger, D.O. O.M.M.

Presentation + Questions & Answers
For ADD-Holistic Discussion Group
http://www.HolisticMed.Com/add/


To: add-holistic@mLists.net
From: mgold@tiac.net
Subject: ADD Visiting Expert Introduction

I would like to welcome to our group one of the most innovative and respected practitioners of Holistic Medicine, Dr. John E. Upledger, D.O., O.M.M. Dr. Upledger has had extensive experience successfully treating a wide variety of diseases and disorders (including ADD/ADHD) using techniques which he developed over the last several decades. Dr. Upledger has trained thousands of practitioners who have gone on to become effective practitioners and, in some cases, develop their own modalities based largely on Dr. Upledger's work.

Please join me in giving Dr. Upledger a warm welcome! [Clap, clap, clap!]

Dr. Upledger will email his opening post on Monday. Please see his bio below. - Mark mgold@tiac.net

Official Bio

JOHN E. UPLEDGER, D.O., O.M.M.
------------------------------
Certified Fellow of the American Academy of Osteopathy
Academic Fellow of the British Society of Osteopathy
Doctor of Science, Medicina Alternativa

Specialties

Osteopathic Manipulation
CranioSacral Therapy
SomatoEmotional Release
Preventative Medicine
Acupuncture

Textbooks

CranioSacral Therapy
CranioSacral Therapy II - Beyond the Dura
SomatoEmotional Release and Beyond
Your Inner Physician and You
A Brain is Born: Exploring the Birth and Development of the Central Nervous System

Dr. John E. Upledger is the President and Medical Director of The Upledger Institute, Inc. Dedicated to the natural enhancement of health, the Institute is recognized worldwide for its groundbreaking continuing-education programs, clinical research and therapeutic services.

Throughout his career as an osteopathic physician, Dr. Upledger has been recognized as an innovator and leading proponent in the investigation of new therapies. His development of CranioSacral Therapy in particular has earned him an international reputation.

Dr. Upledger has served on the Alternative Medicine Program Advisory Council for the Office of Alternative Medicine at the National Institutes of Health. Part of the council's responsibilities are to advise the Office of Alternative Medicine about promising treatment methods, and to identify issues that concern this emerging field of medicine.

Although much of his experience has been garnered through private clinical practice, Dr. Upledger served from 1975-1983 as a clinical researcher and Professor of Biomechanics at Michigan State University. During those years he supervised a team of anatomists, physiologists, biophysicists and bioengineers in experiments testing the existence and influence of the craniosacral system.

The results of those scientific studies explained the function of the craniosacral system and its use in evaluating and treating poorly understood malfunctions of the brain and spinal cord. Dr. Upledger went on to develop and refine CranioSacral Therapy and other complementary modalities, which are now taught worldwide to a diversified group of healthcare professionals through The Upledger Institute's educational programs.

Dr. Upledger later established The Upledger Foundation to reach out to those less fortunate physically, mentally and financially to help improve their life experiences. This nonprofit organization is dedicated to the ongoing research and development of new therapeutic applications, and the establishment of community-outreach programs that enhance total health.


To: add-holistic@mLists.net
From: uihealthplex [Note: Please do not send questions to clinic@upledger.com. Instead, see the phone and web page resources at the end of this email.]
Subject: ADD Opening Email from Dr. Upledger
Date: Mon, 16 Aug 1999 11:01:25 -0400

Dear Discussion Group Members:

I specialize in CranioSacral Therapy. This is a very soft touch, hands-on treatment method that requires 30-60 minutes per session. It is non-invasive, non-traumatic, non-threatening and virtually risk-free.

I began working with brain dysfunctioning children of all types in 1975 at Michigan State University. I was a clinician-researcher in the College of Osteopathic Medicine, Department of Biomechanics. CranioSacral Therapy was the focus of our "hard science" research. We developed a children's clinic to put CranioSacral Therapy to work for afflicted children and to investigate the efficacy of the method.

We applied CranioSacral Therapy with good success in children with hyperkinesis and attention deficit problems, speech and motor problems, dyslexia, autism, seizure disorders and Down's syndrome. We have continued to use CranioSacral Therapy is such children until today, nearly 25 years later, because in many cases it is very successful. Any of the above mentioned problems, with the exception of Down's syndrome, may have different or multiple causal factors. We have observed that dysfunction of the craniosacral system is frequently involved. We evaluate the craniosacral system and if we find a problem we attempt to correct it. The attempt at correction is usually successful.

In our experience, about 60% of ADD children have craniosacral system dysfunction as a predominantly contributing factor. When therapy is successful, the results are most often dramatically positive. For instance, it is very common for the hyperactive child to relax and fall asleep on the treatment table after the correction is made.

An even higher percentage of dyslexic problems are secondary to craniosacral system dysfunction than in ADD - I would estimate about 80%. Craniosacral system corrections, however, are more difficult in these cases. When successful, though, the results are very dramatic.

I treated one 15-year-old boy who was reading on a 4th grade level who advanced to a 10th grade level in three weeks after the correction to his craniosacral system was made. The other brain dysfunctions mentioned are more variable in their etiologies. However, when craniosacral system problems are correctly discovered and treated, improvement almost always follows.

Down's syndrome is genetic, but our experience shows that CranioSacral Therapy can bring about functional improvement. I treated a Down's child who received his first CranioSacral Therapy session 10-days post partum. I have treated him using three or four consecutive treatment sessions approximately every six months since then. Presently he is five years of age and has tested out slightly above average in intelligence. His social skills and attitude are excellent and he is presently participating in a traditional school program where his peers are unaware of his diagnosis.

Since CranioSacral Therapy is non-invasive and of such potential benefit, it seems worth the effort to have an evaluation and some corrective treatments for any type of brain dysfunction in children or adults. The worst thing that can happen is nothing. The best that can happen is for the child to reach full potential.

I am happy to answer any follow-up questions you may have this week. Please email your questions directly to your group email address.

Sincerely,

John E. Upledger, D.O., O.M.M.
President and Medical Director
The Upledger Institute, Inc.

Resources pertaining to CranioSacral Therapy, and SomatoEmotional Release are available from The Upledger Institute.

For an in-depth, yet highly readable discussion of CST from theoretical, clinical and anecdotal points of view, see Dr. John Upledger's book Your Inner Physician and You (North Atlantic Books, 1997, $14.95) available in selected book stores or directly from The Upledger Institute.

Another of Dr. Upledger's publications, a breakthrough book that empowers parents with knowledge to help them make practical decisions concerning the health of their children, is A Brain is Born (North Atlantic Books, 1996, $45.00). It crosses the boundaries of many disciplines, including embryology, obstetrics, pediatrics, neurology, and CranioSacral Therapy. Also, available in selected book stores or directly from The Upledger Institute.

To find a practitioner:

The International Association of Healthcare Practitioners (IAHP) publishes a directory of more than 38,000 healthcare practitioners and their professional designation, telephone number and listing of the IAHP- recognized courses they have completed. The cost of the directory is $7, plus $3 for shipping and handling within the United States. Additional charges apply to international orders. To order or for more information, call Educational Services at 1-800-311-9204, extension 9944.

For information on healthcare continuing education workshops for professionals and educational materials (Modalities include Upledger CranioSacral Therapy, SomatoEmotional Release, Mechanical Link, Visceral Manipulation and related techniques in addition to Neuromuscular Therapy.):

The Upledger Institute, Inc.
11211 Prosperity Farms Rd. D325
Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410-3487
Phone: 1-800-233-5880, extension 9945
Fax: (561) 622-4771
Home page: http://upledger.com
E-mail: upledger@upledger.com

For patient information on Upledger CranioSacral Therapy or clinical services:

The Upledger Institute HealthPlex Clinical Services
11211 Prosperity Farms Rd. D-223
Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410-3487
(561) 622-4706 Phone
(561) 627-9231 Fax
Home page: http://upledger.com
E-mail: uihealthplex@upledger.com


To: "'add-holistic@mLists.net'"
From: "Rossello, Mary M."
Subject: RE: ADD Opening Email from Dr. Upledger
Date: Mon, 16 Aug 1999 15:35:14 -0400

Hi Dr. Upleger. I had a childhood accident in which I was hit by a flying baseball bat (watching a game - not even playing) at the base of my skull and ear. I was six years old when this happened and almost died as a result of the injury. I believe I was ADD as a child but was never diagnosed and barely managed to function at school. I often wondered if my ear accident was the cause of my inability to concentrate on any one thing, especially school. I started chiropractic care in 1986 for headaches and pain I was having at the base of my skull over the years. It has helped me to a degree, but I continue to go once a week feeling pain again only three days after every adjustment. Do you think I would benefit from CranioSacral Therapy?


Approved: addadd
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
From: uihealthplex upledger.com>
Subject: RE: ADD Opening Email from Dr. Upledger

Date: Wed, 18 Aug 1999 14:30:56 -0400

Dear Ms. Rossello:

Yes, most likely you would benefit from CranioSacral Therapy. The base of the skull is where we find craniosacral problems that relate to problems of hyperactivity and attention deficit. The muscles of the base of the skull and their connections to the meningeal membranes have to be lengthened and released from being overly contracted.

Sincerely,
John E. Upledger, D.O., O.M.M.
JEU/adb


To:
From: "laura wrensen"
Subject: Re: ADD Opening Email from Dr. Upledger
Date: Mon, 16 Aug 1999 16:18:11 -0400

What exactly is Cranio Sacral Therapy?
Laura


To: add-holistic@mLists.net
Date: Wed, 18 Aug 1999 14:36:22 -0400
From: uihealthplex
Subject: Re: ADD Opening Email from Dr. Upledger

Dear Laura:

CranioSacral Therapy, and its benefits, are explained at length within our website.

Please refer to our website, http://www.upledger.com/ - select "CST Benefits" and then select "Discover CST".

Sincerely,
John E. Upledger, D.O., O.M.M.
JEU/adb


Date: Thu, 19 Aug 1999 12:35:53 -0600 (MDT)
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
From: mgold@tiac.net
Subject: ADD Question for Dr. Upledger

Dr. Upledger,

Thank you for being the honored Visiting Expert on the ADD-Holistic discussion group. I have two related questions that would help me and perhaps others on the group.

  1. As you know, there are numerous courses taught to practitioners by teachers of the Upledger Institute (in various parts of the US & Canada):

    CranioSacral I & II
    CranioSacral Therapy for Pediatrics
    Advanced CranioSacral
    SomatoEmotional Release I & II
    Visceral Manipulation I & II & Advanced
    Zero Balancing, Feldenkrais, Acupressure
    etc.

    When the looking for a practitioner to treat children diagnosed with ADD/ADHD (or Autism), which Upledger training classes should the practitioners have? Or, is it the case that any practitioner who has taken CranioSacral I & II can successfully treat children with ADD/ADHD?

  2. When treating adults diagnosed with ADD/ADHD, I wonder if the techniques such as Visceral Manipulation and SomatoEmotional Release may play a more important role than for children, and if that is the case, it may be useful to seek out a practitioner with these skills.
Thank you for your assistance.

P.S. -- As soon as I finish my first year in training of another modality (by the Spring), I will be taking Upledger courses. I can't wait to start!

Best Wishes,
- Mark
mgold@tiac.net
Home of ADD/ADHD Holistic Mailing List
http://www.HolisticMed.com/add/
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To: add-holistic@mLists.net
From: uihealthplex
Subject: Re: Question for Dr. Upledger
Date: Mon, 23 Aug 1999 17:11:35 -0400

Dear Mark:

  1. I would recommend Advanced CranioSacral Therapy to be sure. A good student who has completed CranioSacral Therapy Level II has the structural techniques to do it but may lack the expertise to go further if the situation demands.

  2. There is a good possibility that the ADD/ADHD child will have complicating factors that may require SomatoEmotional Release and/or Visceral Manipulation.
You're welcome and I hope you enjoy the courses.

Sincerely,

John E. Upledger, D.O., O.M.M.
JEU/adb


To: add-holistic@mLists.net
From: nourish@ix.netcom.com
Subject: Re: ADD Opening Email from Dr. Upledger
Date: Wed, 18 Aug 1999 13:50:55 -0500 (CDT)

Dear Dr. Upledger, thanks for making yourself available for questions. I have a few regarding the cranio-sacral therapy you do.

  • What is the average amount of treatments that an adult with ADD should except before any significant changes are felt?

  • What course of action do you recommend in difficult cases when no change is brought about?

  • Generally, when would you stop treatment if a client is non-responsive - after how many sessions?

  • To what extent does ADD in your opinion correlate with closed head injury and post- concussive syndrome?

  • What role does birth trauma in your opinion play in the development of ADD?

  • You say that dyslexia is more difficult to treat than ADD. Why, and how in terms of the cranio-sacral system is dyslexia different from ADD?

  • What is your opinion of Dean Howell's NCR? How does NCR - neurocranial restructuring - in your opinion compare in efficacy to cranial sacral therapy for ADD type conditions? Are there to your knowledge any dangers in this technique?

  • Cranial work done by osteopaths - how good is that for ADD and how does it compare to cranio-sacral work?

  • Have brain-imaging technologies such as spect scans and qeegs ever been used to determine what positive changes in brain function cranio-sacral therapy is able to bring about?
Yours sincerely, Peter Brandt


To: add-holistic@mLists.net
From: uihealthplex
Subject: Re: ADD Opening Email from Dr. Upledger

Date: Mon, 23 Aug 1999 17:22:11 -0400

Dear Mr. Brandt:

I will answer your questions in the order they were posed:

> - What is the average amount of treatments that an adult with ADD should
> except before any significant changes are felt?

1) 5 to 10 treatments.
> - What course of action do you recommend in difficult cases when no change
> is brought about?

2) If cranial corrections are made and no change in behavior occurs
CranioSacral Therapy probably will not help.

> - Generally, when would you stop treatment if a client is non-responsive -
> after how many sessions?

3) 10 sessions.

> - To what extent does ADD in your opinion correlate with closed head
> injury and post- concussive syndrome?

4) Depends on the locale of the injury -- the occipital base seems to correlate with ADD/ADHD.

> - What role does birth trauma in your opinion play in the development of
> ADD?

5) A very large role. Occipital hypertension is a common birth trauma and a strong contributing ADD/ADHD factor.

> - You say that dyslexia is more difficult to treat than ADD. Why, and how
> in terms of the cranio-sacral system is dyslexia different from ADD?

6) Dyslexia is usually related to right temporal bone which is harder to correct.

> - What is your opinion of Dean Howell's NCR? How does NCR - neurocranial
> restructuring - in your opinion compare in efficacy to cranial sacral
> therapy for ADD type conditions? Are there to your knowledge any
> dangers in this technique?

7) I do not have enough knowledge on NCR to evaluate or critique it fairly.

> - Cranial work done by osteopaths - how good is that for ADD and how does
> it compare to cranio-sacral work?

8) It depends on the osteopath - CranioSacral Therapy is more of an art, cranial osteopathy is more structurally focused.

> - Have brain-imaging technologies such as spect scans and qeegs ever been
> used to determine what positive changes in brain function cranio-sacral
> therapy is able to bring about?

9) Not yet, but it is in the consideration/funding stages.

Hope these answers are helpful,
John E. Upledger, D.O., O.M.M.
JEU/adb


Date: Fri, 20 Aug 1999 14:07:06 -0500
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
From: msachsman@acadia.net (Marly Sachsman)

I work in the early intervention field in Maine with children with a variety of neurological challenges. As a speech/language pathologist I typically work as part of a transdisplinary team with children with severe delays and developmental challenges. I feel greatful to have a number of colleagues who are very open minded and we leave no ideas unexplored when it comes to facilitating the well being of the children we work with. Unfortunately the physicians we work with are openly condeming techniques such as Craniosacral therapy, Wilbarger brushing protocol, energy work etc. Could you possibly recomend some literature with the types of facts and figures that might help us elicit the support of more physicians. The information of course would need to be rather consise if I were to get them to read it. I respect your work. I find families to be very open to these nontraditional therapies. However, it is very challenging to them when they go to their physician or neurologist to have these treatments condemed. HELP. These parents are dealing with enough stress without there being disagreement among providers. Often times the physicians are controlling the referrals as well. Open to suggestions.Thank you.

Marly Sachsman,M.A.,CCC
Speech/Language Pathologist


To: add-holistic@mLists.net
From: uihealthplex
Subject: ADD Re: CranioSacral Therapy Literature
Date: Tue, 31 Aug 1999 13:48:47 -0400

Dear Marly:

I have two areas of resources to suggest for you. The first is a research monograph that I compiled which is available from us in hard copy (to order please call toll-free 800-233-5880). We have also made this monograph accessible through our website at no charge. To view/print it access our website (www.upledger.com), select "Articles & press releases," then select "Educational, research and human interest articles" and select "Research and Observations Support the Existence of a Craniosacral System." This is the research monograph.

The other suggestions I have are contained within the first textbook, "CranioSacral Therapy." You will find the following listed in the back of the textbook: Appendix A, Appendix B, Appendix C, Appendix I and Appendix J.

I hope these are helpful for you.

Sincerely,

John E. Upledger, D.O., O.M.M.
JEU/adb


Date: Mon, 23 Aug 1999 07:11:05 -0600 (MDT)
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
From: janefaus@juno.com
Subject: Re: ADD CranioSacral Therapy Literature

When I read your message, I could not resist responding. My colleagues and I come up against this problem all the time. We work with the nonprofit Feingold Association of the US, helping families determine if certain foods / food additives are having a negative effect on their child. Fortunately, we are able to provide copies of the double blind, placebo-controlled studies that support our work.

I write the newsletter for the Association and am beginning work on an article about one of our member families. (The husband is an MD) They have had dramatic results with their son, who had major speech deficits. They tell me his therapist, who is a leader in your field, was very impressed with the fast and significant improvements. If you like, I would be glad to provide a copy of the (October) newsletter when it is completed. (I would need a snail mail address.)

Jane Hersey

PS Cranial manipulation helped my daughter a great deal.


To: add-holistic@mlists.net
From: DrRappMD@aol.com
Subject: Re: ADD CranioSacral Therapy Literature
Date: Mon, 23 Aug 1999 12:05:15 EDT

I am convinced that for some children, craniosacral is a piece or all of the pie for ADD children. Please send me copies of any literature you have on that which is scientific.
Many thanks for your help.

8179 E Del Cuarzo
Scottsdale, AZ 85258


From: ADDInquir@aol.com
Date: Mon, 23 Aug 1999 23:58:17 EDT
Subject: Re: ADD Visiting Expert Introduction
To: add-holistic@mlists.net

Dear Dr. Upledger,

Please familiarize yourself with our website www.addgroup.org We are a non-profit organization that helps people find non-drug solutions for ADD, ADHD, Learning and Developmental Delays. If you have an interest in our Resource list we can fax you an application. Call (212) 769-2457 or e-mail your fax to addinquir@aol.com
Thanks
ADD Action Group


From: DrRappMD@aol.com
Date: Tue, 24 Aug 1999 11:07:10 EDT
Subject: Re: ADD Opening Email from Dr. Upledger
To: add-holistic@mlists.net

DEAR SIR:

WHO ARE THE UPLEDGER DISCIPLES IN THE PHOENIX AREA. I HOPE TO START SOME CENTERS WHERE MANY ADD CHILDREN WILL COME AND WOULD LOVE TO LET HIS METHODS BE USED FIRST, AND WE'LL SEE HOW MANY ARE HELPED.
MANY THANKS
DORIS J RAPP MD