Specializing in Pediatric Massage

A great number of massage therapists, body workers and even more traditional health care professionals are specializing in pediatric massage these days. With more and more adults seeking the physical and mental benefits of massage, it should come as no surprise that these services are being offered to children as well. This isn’t something you necessarily have to bring your child to a massage parlor for. Even certain doctors, nurses, occupational therapists and physical therapists are offering massage as part of their practice, and many of them offer massage for pediatric patients. The Benefits of Pediatric Massage There are many benefits of healing touch for infants and children, including various emotional, psychological and physical results. What happens to children that were not touched as infants has been well documented, particularly those who have been hospitalized, so by process of deduction, one can assume that there would be many positive effects from healing touch. Studies show that infants with complex medical conditions benefit from massage therapy with better respiratory functions and healthy weight gain, for example, and that is just the beginning. Massage and touch therapy has been shown to provide the following positive benefits for infants and children: • Decreased hospital stays for sick childrenrn• Easier time falling asleep and staying asleep • Improved muscle tone for children with special health care needsrn• Improved respiratory patterns for children of all agesrn• Regular bowel movements for children suffering from constipationrn• Decreased stress levels Anyone who provides care for infants and young children can improve their service offerings by introducing healing touch into their routine. Training is available for current practicing medical professionals to learn more about pediatric massage, so with a little additional effort, you can begin incorporating this into your health care offerings as quickly as possible. It’s also possible to educate families on the issue so that they can incorporate this into their home environments more often. You can even become certified in pediatric massage and specialize in this type of therapy full time. Children who are hospitalized and those who live with special health care needs on a daily basis need more than just medicine and technology to get better and live a healthy life. Healing touch can play a vital role in the health and happiness of infants and children, and as a health care professional, you have the opportunity to introduce these techniques and practice into their lives.