Children with Sensory Issues

[CinnaStix]

Tina,

Have you heard of using massage therapy for children that are diganosed with sensory issues? I would think it would be helpful but I wonder how you would go about it.

[Tina Allen | Liddle Kidz]

Hi Cindy,

Yes, I have seen some great benefits of massage therapy for children who have unique sensory needs.

Some children are sensitive to certain sensations such as sounds, lights, smells. These children may respond well to intense deep pressure to the skin and resistance to the muscles. These tactile inputs are calming for the system.

So in short a deep, slow massage might be appropriate for these children.

[mlgreen1611]

I am new to the site, so I may be a bit late in the information you are seeking. My daughter has Sensory Integration Disorder and she benefit greatly from a series of joint manipulations. Her proprioception is very scewed, even at now 11 years of age, and when she was younger, gentle compression of her hip, knee, shoulder and elbow joints, as instructed by an O.T. proved enormously beneficial. I see a huge difference even now when I massage her, and I do stretching, gentle rocking and different MT techniques on her. It does "put her back in her skin" very nicely and the effects can last for days. There are some really good books on the subject that help explain the wide variety of sensory integration issues.

[lisasmommy]

Can you give me a list of the books you're talking about? I want to learn more about this issue and how to help children with sensory issues.