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Baby Sienna's Story


Working in the clinic with Ross, it is easy to accept that people will have miraculous changes and experience wonderful recoveries almost instantaneously. Sometimes though, the changes that are experienced are so incredible that they really stand apart from others. They cement the learning and once again confirm why Ross teaches? the Chameleon Approach' as the corner stone of the technique. One of these instances is Baby Sienna.

Baby Sienna was born with a form of ?torticollis' and had spent a large percentage of her short life being treated by many different specialists. She had been constantly taken through very painful exercises without experiencing any changes or improvement. Once she did have a successful treatment with an acupuncturist after which she was able to hold her head up for a short while but additional treatments could not replicate the result. Doctors were suggesting surgery involving cutting the muscle and physio's prescribed painful exercises and suggesting a neck brace to hold her head in an upright position. Her mother had taken her to our sister clinic ?Body Alignment' where she had first encountered the Emmett Technique. She said she was amazed when Sienna would experience a change right before her eyes and would be able to support her head and use her neck, “We were excited to find that the treatment would help Sienna. She would arrive for her treatment with her head resting on one side, close to her shoulder and she would leave much happier, relaxed and was able to lift her head and move it. It was such a relief and would last for about 2 weeks, then we would go back again”. The response Sienna experienced from the treatments provided hope that the Emmett Technique could encourage physical change and influence muscular recovery. This is when she was referred to Ross.

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Sienna was 11 months old when she first presented to the clinic. Ross invited me in to participate from her first treatment. I really enjoy working with babies and children. They are a blank sheet and take on the changes with often instantaneous results. Unlike we adults, they have no prior baggage and often allow their bodies to release and relax so quickly that within minutes they open up and become a ?monkey.' (I also have smaller hands than Ross that are always a benefit when working on the littlies). Ross approaches every treatment in a different manner – the chameleon approach. With Sienna, the treatment he gave on this first visit, lasted less than 10 minutes, and included three moves that created visible muscle releases. Interestingly two of these are taught in the Emm-Tech short course and the third in the very first training days (Mod 2). The change in her was amazing - within minutes Sienna started to gain strength in her neck. She smiled and her body, which was very tense, relaxed. Her mother was in tears as we both watched Sienna lifting her head and turning it from side to side. The following day, Sienna's mother called to advise that over-night her head straightened even more. This initial result was built upon a few days later at a follow-up appointment and delighted Sienna's parents by holding for more than a few months. Subsequent lapses, where Sienna's neck muscles required reactivation have brought amazing results, simply and easily. She has since had progressive treatments with Ross and myself, and each time she leaves with her head virtually upright. By the 2nd day following the treatment she has full rotation and her head is completely straight. A normal treatment lasts about 7 minutes on average.

Sienna is now able to move so easily and freely, she is rolling with ease and her body is no longer tense. This beautiful little girl with such an infectious smile and bubbly disposition is crawling and recently started attempting to stand – she is so much happier.

Lynda Mullamphy, Emmett Therapist/Tutor, Townsville.