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FAMILY CAREBirth and early infancy may potentially be a very difficult and traumatic time for both the mother and the baby. After the baby's head has engaged, usually during the eighth month of pregnancy, there is a lot of stress on his neck and back from the continuous moving within the womb. These stresses are further increased during the birth process, particularly if it is prolonged or involves breech presentation or forceps delivery. This might occur when the baby is lying in an occipito-posterior position giving it less space for the head to exit the pelvis. After this important first stage of life the child is then subjected to a series of further ordeals as he begins to explore the world into which he has been brought. The path from infancy to childhood can be like a bumpy ride on a merry-go-round and involves lots of spills and falls along the way. In adults the brain and spinal cord are surrounded by the skull and the bones of the vertebral column which forms a rigid protective layer for these delicate structures. In infants, where the bones are still developing, this protective layer is not complete and so they are more vulnerable to injury. The individual bones of the skull and the spinal joints are also susceptible to the repeated bangs and knocks they are subjected to as the youngster grows up and starts walking. Click
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