Why I love Craniosacral Fascial Therapy in Infants

What I love about Craniosacral Fascial Therapy (CFT) is how well it pairs with traditional Infant Physical Therapy. CFT helps release the underlying tension in the fascia (the connective tissue that wraps around the muscles, bones, and organs throughout the body) and the craniosacral system (the tissues and fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord) so a baby is more comfortable and to help calm the nervous system. It can help with the 'fight or flight' we see in a lot of these infants and can help with the GI symptoms. I like to follow up with positioning and play to help infants actually strengthen and gain functional motor skills. CFT is not a replacement for a full PT evaluation, and it's one tool among several I lean on, but for many babies it's a meaningful piece of getting comfortable, feeding well, and moving symmetrically. If your baby's story includes birth trauma, tightness, or unexplained fussiness, it's worth asking whether CFT could be part of their plan.

The Reflux-Torticollis Connection Nobody Warns You About

One thing I have seen consistently in my practice that surprises parents: torticollis and GI upset (especially reflux) show up together far more often than you'd expect, and it's not a coincidence. When a baby has reflux, that burning, uncomfortable sensation in the esophagus makes them want to arch, extend, and twist their body to try to relieve the discomfort, often pulling the head and neck to one side in the process. This can eventually cause the tightness seen by parents. On top of that, babies who are uncomfortable from reflux/gas or constipation often get ‘stuck' in whatever position soothes them most, whether that's tilted to one side during feeds, held a certain way to ease digestion, or avoiding the flat, symmetrical positions (like tummy time) that would normally help stretch and strengthen the neck evenly. They often prefer to be stiff and extended or arching to ease the pain. Over weeks, that asymmetric positioning can create genuine muscle tightness on top of the digestive issue.

This is exactly why infant physical therapy is often part of the care plan even when the root issue looks like just a GI problem. As a Physical Therapist who works with newborns, I’m not only stretching a tight neck muscle. I’m looking at the whole picture: how your baby's discomfort is shaping the positions they default to, overall body tension and tightness, how feeding posture might be reinforcing a lean to one side, and how to build in movement and tummy time in ways that don't fight against your baby's comfort level. Craniosacral Fascial Therapy can help decrease this tension and help with GI upset as well.

What is CFT? A 1-minute read for parents

CFT stands for Craniosacral Fascial Therapy, and it's a gentle, hands-on approach I use often in my work with infants. It focuses on releasing tension in the fascia, the connective tissue that wraps around muscles, bones, and organs throughout the body, as well as the craniosacral system, which includes the tissues and fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord. The touch involved is incredibly light, and babies typically find it calming rather than uncomfortable. I usually reach for CFT with babies who've had a tough entry into the world (think long labors, C-sections, or assisted deliveries with forceps or vacuum), as well as babies dealing with torticollis, feeding or latching difficulty, reflux, gas, or general fussiness that doesn't have an obvious explanation.