Most children easily shrug off the rough and tumble of daily life. As life progresses, however, there are many incidents which can lead to niggling discomfort, poor concentration, an inability to sit still, and also more specific problems such as back or neck pain, migraines and headaches.

These childhood problems can be as a result of a difficult birth, the numerous bumps, falls and tumbles that are an inevitable part of childhood, poor posture, carrying heavy bags to and from school, and sitting at ill-fitting furniture.

Birth is probably one of the toughest events we undergo as humans. A baby's head has to squeeze through a small birth canal to be born. In doing so the baby's head in particular will absorb much of the shock, and the soft bones will yield slightly allowing it to travel down the birth canal. This is called 'moulding'. After birth the baby's head will gradually revert to a more normal shape. However, if this 'unmoulding' doesn't take place completely, the baby can be left in some discomfort which they are unable to communicate.

Most babies cope extremely well with the process and emerge contented, happy, able to feed, sleep, and grow normally.

However, for some, the recovery can take longer, especially those who had a particularly difficult entry into the world and these babies may show some, all, or a combination of the following signs:

• Irritability, fractiousness
• Feeding problems
• Continuous crying
• Sleeps little, difficult to settle
• Colic, sickness and wind

All of these could indicate that there is a misalignment in the baby's skeletal system and that the baby is uncomfortable as a result. These misalignments could be causing discomfort both when lying down and when lifted, hence many parents report that whatever they do, whether they lift their baby up or lie him down, it seems to make no difference, and the crying continues. Feeding problems may indicate that there is a problem with the nerves at the base of the skull and that the digestive system is compromised, or more simply the baby may be uncomfortable sucking due to mechanical stresses on its skeletal structure.