Benefits of Children's Massage

There are many benefits to children's massages. Children's massages can calm a child down. Children's massages can also wake a child's body up so he or she can function better when needed such as at school. If your child has any special needs, you can suggest he or she gets a massage by one of the teachers, teacher's aides or occupational therapist before going to any of his/her classes. If your child has an IEP known as an individualized educational plan you can have the massages listed in the plan as part of the daily routine. The school must follow your IEP as it is the law.

Many times children are stressed out and as adults we only think grown-ups have stress. Think about your child going to a new school for the first time. Think about how your child feels entering a new year in school. He or she may even share with you how nervous he/she is. Your child having problems with his or her homework that may be stressing out him or her. Frequent massages can help to deter all of this wasted stress.

Another one of the benefits of children's massage is that it has a direct correlation between stress and the immune system. When your child is stressed out, the stress hormones become elevated. When the stress hormones are elevated they will kill the healthy immune cells that fight off viruses as well as tumors and keep the immune system healthy. You want to keep this stress level down so that your child's body will heal and maintain to keep it as healthy as possible.

If your child has had surgery as an infant, he or she will truly benefit from massage. As an infant your child learned that touch means pain. With massage you can turn that association around by doing massaging and make it a positive experience.

When you do give your infant a massage you may even be helping to develop the nervous system as well as the brain. You are improving your child's circulation, respiration, digestion and elimination. You can even help your infant become less prone to colic which can be miserable for your baby and anyone living in your household.

If you are starting to massage your infant you only need to glide your fingers across the baby. As your child matures you can add more massaging techniques and include the hands, feet, etc.

If your child is a teen and has never had a massage, he or she most likely would rather have a certified massage therapist give him/her the massage than you as a parent. Teens just feel more comfortable having the massage therapist perform the massage. Your teen will benefit from massages. He or she will be happier, more relaxed and calm.

Keep your child(ren)'s massages a routine. You will notice your child napping better, sleeping better at night, less hyperactivity and even improving in schoolwork and tests. There are so many benefits to children's massage. It is never too early to start.