The Age of Massage

The Age of Massage

 

“It is the first language, and the last, and it always  tells the truth”

– Margaret Atwood

 

Touch is communication in its most basic and powerful form. It is never too early and never too late to begin massage on your child. Birth is a time of great change for everyone involved. Babies have the great journey ahead of them; becoming integrated into their body. The transition from womb to world can be eased with close contact and touch.

The communication that can be conveyed with touch is vast in its lexicon and can help children of all ages with their own awareness and confidence in themselves and their bodies. Above all touch is a fundamental need as a human and the benefits obtained are not only beneficial after one is “old enough to receive massage”.  Massage from the beginning of life can be an important bonding tool for parents and babies, allowing a quiet time to connect and get to know each other. It also plays an important role in laying groundwork for a child’s ability to acknowledge positive touch, teach relaxation, heal birth trauma, increase motor coordination, promote healthy sleep patterns, increase immunity and to claim their bodies as their own.

As babies grow into toddlers, adolescence and teenagers massage can help through transition of the ages. There are many difficulties that children go through as they age, some of the most common being constipation, tension from sitting at school, overuse and exploring, postural imbalances, anxiety and stress and body image. Massage benefits a wide range of infants and children and has shown to assist with autism, cerebral palsy, prematurity and other complicated conditions. During these years children are still getting to know their bodies. Massage can continue to help become more aware and more comfortable with their bodies while decreasing stress and tension in the muscles. Teaching and reaffirming positive touch is a benefit that continues to be an important trend as children age. From birth to 18 years old and even beyond into adulthood learning to respect your own bodies and the value of positive touch is transmitted into each individual’s interaction with their world.

Christin offers private and group infant massage instruction to individuals and families wishing to learn more about massaging their babies. Parents can benefit greatly from learning a general framework and guidelines on pressure, depth and techniques to apply.  Massage therapy for infants can be provided from an RMT or taught to parents to be used at home.

Adrianne Colby