Healing touch for children

“Massage and touch therapy have been an integral part of family life for centuries in many Eastern cultures. For mothers in Asia, Eastern Europe and Africa, offering comforting touch to their babies and children is an intuitive maternal response – a way of connecting with them and communicating love, caring and respect. Once children reach the age of 7 or 8, it feels perfectly natural for them to continue the tradition by offering massage to their parents and grandparents as a way of showing affection through their hands.

Stress
   Children can get just as stressed as adults – sometimes even more so. Our modern world is full of demands, choices and expectations, and children from as young as 4 years old are bombarded with the pressures of televisions, mobile phones and computers. They may also have worries about friendships, bullying, homework and disturbing items on the news. Then there is the stress of sibling rivalry, peer pressure, school attainment targets and concerns about their appearance.

Does massage help?
   Several studies show that when primary school children share 5-10 minutes of massage with each other every day, their concentration rises and they are better able to manage the activities of the day. One study showed that children who massaged each other were calmer, with less aggressive behaviour. Another study demonstrated an improvement in motor skills.
   Encouraging physical activity, a healthy diet, regular sleep and fresh air are all essential ways of counterbalancing stress. These healthy lifestyle patterns can be complemented by regular caring touch which boosts a child’s self esteem and helps bring the body back into a state of calm and relaxation. Think how you instinctively hold a child’s hand when they are afraid, or offer a gentle pat on the shoulder for reassurance. Touch is the perfectly natural antidote to stress...”

   This article is reproduced courtesy of HEALING TOUCH FOR CHILDREN by Mary Atkinson, published by Gaia Books.
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