Massage for Children with Special Needs Pittsburgh PA

Viewing massage through the Gestalt, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, massaging children with special needs goes far beyond massage strokes. The massage experience is the basis for energy and information exchange between parent and child from which every infant and child can enjoy the sense of belonging, empathetic understanding, homeostasis, security, trust, and engagement, all the while fostering interpersonal stability and flexibility. Parents can experience “being” in the moment, relating with their child first and the disability second, engaging in respectful, intentional nurturing touch. This state of being brings benefits to both child and parent alike, cognitively, physically, and social-emotionally. Following are the “Ten S’s of Massage Benefits for Children with Special Needs” (Schneider, 2008):

Secure bonding and attachment

Soothing and calmness (promoting pain management)

Socialization (promoting communication, eye gaze, and joint attention)

Smiling and laughing

Strengthening bodily systems (immune system, respiration, digestion, elimination, circulation)

Strengthening body tone (reducing hypertonicity and/or improving hypotonicity and facilitating bringing hands to mid-line and increasing range of motion)

Self-regulation

Structuring the brain

Stress reduction (stress - hormones cortisol, norepinephrine, and epinephrine are reduced and “feel good” hormones - serotonin, oxytocin, melatonin, gastrin, and insulin) are released

Sleep enhancement
The “10 R’s” of Massage Benefits for Furthering Relationship-building (Schneider, 2008) are:

Respecting the child and oneself

Requesting permission to touch the child and observing nonverbal/verbal responses that signal approval

Reading the child’s engagement and disengagement cues

Responding to the child’s bodily states

Responding with flexibility and care

Reciprocally interacting

Recognizing healthy touch

Rhythmicity of movement, voice, song and/or rhyme

Resiliency formation

Routine and ritual establishment

Massage is a natural way to build a healthy mind, a healthy body, healthy emotions and a healthy long-lasting relationship, one touch at a time, bathed in a somatosensory experience, while being nurtured, being relevant, and being loved.

Every professional who serves children with special needs can benefit from learning massage so they can instruct the parents/caregivers of the children they serve and use massage as a prevention or intervention strategy. Every parent of a child with special needs would benefit from learning massage, also, as massage enlivens the core of being healthy, happy and calm, and creates a loving relationship upon which, for the child, other relationships are built. As Jucinda’s dad Jeff, said, “I can’t believe something so simple can produce such big results!” One day, it is my heartfelt wish that massage will become as commonplace as burping a baby or changing a diaper. I hope this is now your wish also.
©Elaine Fogel Schneider, 2008

Dr. Elaine Fogel Schneider, Ph.D, CCC-SLP, ADTR, CGP, CTTI is the author of Massaging Your Baby – The Joy of TouchTime -Effective Techniques for a Healthier, Happier, More Relaxed Child & Parent (2006) Garden City Park, New York: Square One Publishers. She is an expert in the areas of communication, infant massage and parenting. She resides in Southern California with her husband of three decades and is the proud parent of a newlywed daughter and son-in-law. Dr. Schneider is an adjunct faculty for Nova Southeastern University, and California State University Bakersfield. She is the founder of TouchTime™ Institute and provides training for agencies and individuals. You can reach Dr. Elaine at drelaine@touch-time.com or visit her website at www.touch-time.com

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