Developmental Delay - Moro Reflex

[busywizzy]

My DD who's 9, has been seeing a Developmental Delay therapist for 6 months and has been diagnosed as having an underdeveloped moro reflex. She's suffered from terrible tummy cramps for as long as I can remember really, which often started in the middle of the night and have her doubled up in agony (and often ended in her being sick when she was younger). The pains would last about 2 hours and would then disappear as quickly as they started. There didn't seem to be any obvious reason for these attacks although she always suffered from them whenever she had a significant change in her environment such as going on holiday.

As she's got older, the pains have come at other times in the day and on a far more regular basis so someone suggested she see the therapist I was recommended. Since that time, she's been undergoing a programme of brushing (I know it probably sounds a bit wacky) where different parts of her body are brushed to stimulate their development. This has been really successful and the attacks have been almost non-existent as her body has learnt how to deal with the production of adrenaline.

However in the past four weeks they've come back with a vengenance, for no apparent reason and she's had tummy cramps, sickness and a terrible runny bottom. The therapist has changed her programme of brushing but I'm keen to hear if anyone else has experienced this and has any advise.

Sorry for the long post but I really want to help her.

Have you tried gluten free (long winded but retained reflexes can be linked to things like dyspraxia, which overlaps with autism- which is often accompanied by digestive problems such as that you describe which can be helped by gluten and or casein free diet). If it was to work it would, ime work quickly. When you went dairy free what did you switch to? I found going to soya caused lots of problems, now we've cut back on cows milk (still give iT) buse use 3/4 goats milk and that seems to work well.

My younger brother had the brushing done on him when he was around that age because he hadn't lost baby reflexes.
His was displayed in his bad behavior though not by tummy cramps.
It was quite successful and he suddenly had a growth spurt and behavior did improve.

He still hasn't fully grown up behavior wise though and he is 21 now!

Can't advise on what you should do with you DD though.

You must be paying your therapist so you could use that cash to pay for a private referral instead.

On reading your explanation below about not actuallly having the diagnosis I would still be looking for answers, though to be aware of the proper techniques for brushing I'm wondering what qualifications you therapist has?. Her symptoms do sound as though they could be IBS or childhood migraine (which often presents without a headache) among many other conditions. wrt to the adrenanline - you've had tests? It is normal when a person experience any sort of pain/discomfort for adrenaline levels to rise - it's a natural fight/flight reaction. The pronlem is that when can neither run or fight the pain (as in your daughter's case), it has no job to do and can therefore cause anxiety, agitation and stress, which then compounds the initial problem.

Sensory stimulation could theoretically help either due to the placebo effect - ie if you and she both believe it will work then you may see benefit. ALso brushing can sometimes be relaxing depending on how it is done and this is good for lowering adrenaline.

I would contact the charities relating to both of these conditions for further advice and check your therapist's qualifications.

Thankyou everyone for taking the time to post. I'm going to call my surgery on Monday and find out which of the GP's specialise in childcare (goodnes help us if its my GP !!). I'm going to take DD to see that GP and see if I can get us referred to a Paed. I'm not worried about the cost as we're paying to see the therapist, I just didn't have any confidence that it would be successful having spent many a painful appointment looking at the scornful face of my GP.

The last time we went he asked me how many attacks she'd had since our previous visit two weeks before. It had been quite a good two weeks and I told him she'd only had two and he said ' two attacks in two weeks hardly constitutes a serious problem@. I could have punched him in the face and shouted that I bet he wouldn't want to have to hold one of his children in his arms for hours during the night whilst they were doubled up.

Thanks everyone again.

hope you get some answers busy xxxx

Liquidclocks, that was such a helpful and reassuring post. Childhood migraines is the term the therapist has used and my DD definately loves the brushing which we do twice a day. Every six weeks, we visit the therapist and he takes her through a series of tests which involve her moving in certin ways and holding these positions and although I don't understand what any of them mean, I can see the different way she's reacting. After each visit, we change the brushing pattern.She also seems more confident in herself and self-assured but maybe that's just me looking for positive signs.

I have checked his qualifications (can't remember what they were off the top of my head) and he seemed particularly qualified in his field.

just before i go eat dinner (finally!) - busy, the best thing you as a parent can do for your GP and any other health professionals is to keep a diary of when the attacks take place, how long for and what happens in them. It also helps to keep basic notes of what happened that day - special events, holidays, whether she was off school etc.

It's easier then to see patterns and the severity of the problem.

Don't forget - even with GPs you are always entitled to a second opinion, if your present GP isn't taking you seriously then use that right. I really would contact the charities - they're very aware of the different sorts of conditions that can be mistaken for their condition if that makes sense. They may be able to point you in the right direction if they can't help you themselves.

X-posts! If someone has mentioned to you that it could be childhood migraine then do contact the migraine action association - they really are great. There are lots of medications safe for children to use with migraine that may be of benefit to your daughter.

DS1 (now 7) used to have migraines when he would end up being sick for about 3 days and very weak. He has gut problems as well. The migraines often seemed to be triggered by not eating enough.

I have a very interesting book about reflexes and what the effects can be if a baby or child's development does not follow the typical course of growing out of certain reflexes. The book is "Reflexes, Learning and Behaviour" by Sally Goddard (about £10 on Amazon I think). I hope the body brushing will work again for your daughter - I have no direct experience of it but have heard it highly recommended as a therapy.

I had chidhood migraines triggered by that too jimjams - they're awful. Migraines are still afected by what I eat but more to do with regularity now.

If they are migraines the good news is that they can be well managed and in a large number of cases the child grows out of them. Childhood migraine is thought to be one of the largest groups of 'missed' diagnosis of long term illness in children and one of the more common reasons of missing school. Awareness among gPs is on the up but it is not truly 'accepted' yet as a real illness - largely due to the absecnce of a headache.

Busy - even if it is migraine please don't feel that you're alone in feeling like your banging your head against the wall when seeing your GP - so many parent and patients feel that way. A shame, but true.

Liquid, I was just looking at the website of the charity you suggested and have been looking at some other sights that relate to abdominal migraines. It's been a revelation as DD never says she has tummy pains (although she holds her tummy) she says she has a pain in her back and the websites I've been looking at say this is commonly where the pain is.

I'm going to visit the surgery next week and talk to a GP about this and see what they suggest.

I'm also going to get the book by Sally Goddard Alibag as someone else suggested this to me. DD has been doing so much better recently despite this current setback and she loves the brushing. Even though I can't explain it, I just know there's some kind of connetion and anything I can learn that helps me to help her is worthwhile.

Thank you so much everyone. It's been so helpful hearing from you all, when earlier this evening I could have just sat and cried all night. Now I feel like I've got some valuable information and ideas to help us move on

I agree with looking at gluten free and casein or lactose free as in diet for painful cramps. The change in environment precipitating the pain does sound stress related. Some children suffer more anxiety than others. This of course will be recurring though may only happen in very stressful situations later on. It doesn't mean you will go back to square one. I know of a little girl who also had a reflux problem with stress. Mainly separation anxiety brought it on. It was a worry but she grew out of it. Hope this helps a little.