Canadian RMT Magazine Spring 2016 Volume 1 | Page 12

Infant Massage
vs.

Pediatric Massage
What’s the Difference?
By TINA ALLEN
hat is the difference
between infant and pediatric massage? Is there
truly difference? This all depends first
how you define the term infant and how
you define pediatric. If you are working
in a pediatric hospital, or healthcare environment, some will say that word pediatric is an “umbrella” term that covers all of
the patients in that facility from birth to
age of discharge from the hospital (often
18 years of age). Others use the thinking
that there are pediatric populations in
the healthcare setting, but that the infant
category is limited to the age of 0 – 12
months, and thus often requires different
stages of care.
When it comes to massage therapy,
there are some very clear distinctions
between the two modalities of infant
massage and pediatric massage.
What is Infant Massage? Infant Massage is an ancient tradition of providing
nurturing touch as a way of communicating and bonding with baby. Massage can
help foster mutual trust and understanding between caregiver and child.
Infant massage is composed of techniques which are utilized with babies
from approximately three weeks of age
and may be adapted onward. Yes, absolutely, parents and caregivers should use
nurturing touch with their child as soon
as they are born. Specialized massage
12

techniques are used with babies born prematurely. However, generally speaking,
for healthy well children we would use
the three week starting period.
Infant massage for healthy babies is
typically administered by parents and
caregivers who have been trained by
certified infant massage teachers in private and group sessions. Infant massage
teachers teach parents and caregivers to
use gentle massage techniques, understand their baby’s individual cues and
methods of communication to enhance
many life changing benefits.
Clinical research has shown that
massaging baby can aid in their healthy
growth and development, may soothe
common discomforts, promote restful
sleep for the infant (and in turn the caregivers), and can increase healthy attachment and bonding.
Evidence has also shown babies who
receive massage have increased weight
gain, improved immune function and
decreased stress hormones. When parents provide massage, their babies may
experience optimal neurological function
and improved digestion. The benefits
achieved with the use of infant massage
therapy are needed to encourage appropriate emotional, cognitive and physical
development.
What is Pediatric Massage? It is somewhat easier to think that a child who has

been hospitalized, or diagnosed with
a debilitating medical condition may
benefit from the use of massage therapy.
However, healthy children have just as
many indications for receiving pediatric
massage therapy. Children need nurturing touch to grow and reach their full
potential. With massage we aid in their
restful sleep, stress reduction, and comfort growing pains. In studies performed
by massage therapy researchers, reported
benefits for typically developing children
also include improved concentration,
increased focus, and decreased aggression. Some researchers even report that
children who have received massage
therapy for a regular period of time may
show increased IQ.
Research has indicated that massage
therapy can ease both physical symptoms
as well as, emotional discomforts associated with pediatric medical conditions.
Immediately after receiving massage,
children with mild to moderate juvenile
rheumatoid arthritis notice decreased
anxiety and stress hormone (cortisol) levels. For young patients with Autism their
aversion to touch decreases with massage, while their ability to focus increases.
Pediatric patients with cystic fibrosis
report feeling less anxious, and their ability to breathe and pulmonary functions
improved.

Canadian rmt

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2016-03-02 9:15 PM