Benefits of Massage

Posted by Sarah Paull on 9th December 2020 Additional Needs, Advice & Support, Disabilities

The first hands on therapy we got to learn to use on our girls was massage and it is so important even today we use the same techniques and stretches.

Massage for all neonatal babies is incredibly important for both baby and parents.

It enables them to bond after the traumatic experience of those early days, it also awakens the sensory systems and improves circulation.

For kids with neurological conditions it’s a holistic addition to traditional therapy approaches.

It reduces pain, reduces muscle tightness, combining massage strokes with stretching can increase flexibility and it’s a lovely activities to promote body awareness.

To get started use any child friendly moisturiser or any simple unperfumed vegetable, sunflower or coconut oil.

Just enjoy simple strokes at nappy changes as new-born’s can become cold and uncertain about the big wide world.

It is about building trust just using the hands to run from the toes right up there legs using gentle pressure up and around the hip joints.

Repeating this movement over both legs and moving around the legs to lift them up and encouraging the hands to the feet.

Even better crossing the midline, looking to touch the right hand to the left foot vice versa.

If their flexibility is difficult due to increase tone or spasticity, just stretch them as best as you can and ask for guidance off a physiotherapist how best to stretch them and help increase flexibility.

To help them stretch those tight muscles effectively warm the muscles up in the areas using short strokes up and down the area, to ease the muscle fibre before holding a prolonged stretch or after a busy physio session, wind down with a short massage session to relax them.

Another enjoyable massage technique to improve digestion or relieve constipation for babies or young infants is a sweeping circular movement around the tummy button in a clockwise motion.

For babies the index and middle fingertips using light pressure, young infants you can use all your fingertips whilst finishing the movement around the circle, heading towards the inside of the left hip bone.

There are many other techniques covering the arms, chest, head and neck that can help stretch the upper limbs and desensitise areas, help kids trust touch and enjoy that time spent together.

For us we like to use massage at the end of the day after a bath, when everyone is warm and cosy in there towel, using some night lights and relaxing music, a perfect end to a busy day for any age!