Massage Therapy for Children with Birth Disorders
As much as possible, you want to give birth to a happy and healthy child. Based on information from the CDC, one out of every 33 babies will have a birth disorder. If you want to know the incidence rate of spina bifida, it sits at one out of every 2,854. Meanwhile, one of out every 5,349 children will be born with an eye defect. In clinical studies, medical researchers have learned how massage therapy can prove beneficial for infants who have emotional, mental or physical issues.
How Does the Therapy Work?
Most doctors consider this an alternative therapy for treating a birth injury. The muscles and connective tissues get massaged as a way of stimulating the neurological development and circulation. For that reason, people have occasionally used it as a form of treatment for cerebral palsy. Massage therapy will apply pressure to certain points of the body. It depends on the type of massage therapy needed, but you will find that the therapist uses a variety of techniques to help you. In fact, many therapists know over 180 different techniques that they can use elbows, hands or arms to help with releasing tension within the body.
Individualized Treatment
When it comes to babies, you will especially see individualized treatments used to help the child recover. They will base this on presentation and medical care. The doctor will try to treat the child with care to help with whatever symptoms he might be experiencing. Before you take your child in for this type of care, you should first review a list of medications and make sure that it will be safe for him to begin therapy with a massage.
What are the Benefits of Treatment
You have a few specific reasons that people have taken a liking to this form of treatment. Some of the reasons include:
- Fewer physical symptoms
- Improves fine and gross motor skills
- Cranial stimulation promotes well being
- Better digestive health and increased circulation
- Improved sleep
- Integumentary system protection
Numerous benefits have come for children who have cerebral palsy because of how it lessens the pain that they might be dealing with. Meanwhile, some studies showed how it reduced the spasticity. CP happens as a result of someone having a brain injury. Through getting a massage, it will help to promote a sense of calmness.
Infant massages should only last for as long as what the child can tolerate it. You don’t want him to go through more of it than what he can handle because the goal is to make him relaxed, happy and healthy. As a parent, you might also give a massage to your child as a way of encouraging bonding with him. It can soothe, heal and nurture your child into feeling better. Typically, the doctor won’t let you proceed with a massage for an infant until they have arrived at the age of three weeks.