Why Pediatric Massage Requires a Unique Approach
Children are different from adults in numerous ways, and as such, so is a pediatric massage practice.
For the health care professional inspired to practice pediatric massage therapy, there are many considerations to prepare for providing developmentally appropriate touch therapy.
Health care providers often use the term pediatric to describe children in a health care or hospital setting; some will say the 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 recognize that pediatric is simply defined as health care of children, which may mean in the hospital setting, but can also refer to children who are developing typically.
Some practitioners believe massage therapy is used to treat medical and health care indications, but pediatric massage is also used in conjunction with general health care, as an adjunct and preventative method of therapeutic intervention.
Pediatric massage is used in a variety of settings, from spas and professional private practices to hospitals, palliative care/hospices and orphanages.
Education in Pediatric Massage
Further training and education is required to feel fully confident providing pediatric massage. Neither standard medical training, nor massage therapy education, provides health care professionals the customized training necessary to best serve this population.
Children have different physical, emotional and developmental needs than adults, and pediatric massage therapy is designed to address these individual childhood considerations.
As young people are growing, their bodies undergo significant physical and developmental changes. Some of these developmental considerations include recognizing that their skin is thinner, more fragile and has much more compact sensory receptors.
Their bones are not yet completely fused or ossified, and require a more gentle approach. These considerations are of great importance to those practicing hands-on techniques.
We consider a child's size, developmental aspects and growth in our treatment plan, and also employ cognitive considerations and age-appropriate language adaptations as we build trust and rapport.
By: Tina Allen, L.M.T., C.P.M.M.T., C.P.M.T., C.I.M.T.