Benefits of massage for children with ADHD Through my research, though no exact cause exists, ADHD is thought to stem from sensory deprivation or restriction of movement during the period from infancy to about 3 years old. I have yet to find a case of ADHD where a child has not either undergone some necessary medical procedure, or suffered abuse resulting in one or more of the major senses being blocked or a prolonged period of immobilization. Interfering with the perceptive senses or movement produced an overcharged central nervous system, whereby energy continues to build until there is an outlet. The result is that movement and perceptual stimulation are required in excess. If these are not supplied at frequent intervals, the child becomes irritable, then angry and finally enraged. Besides hyperactivity, the constellation of symptoms includes being stubborn, having a short fuse when it comes to temper, defiance, and a strong liking for very loud music or other noise, as well as every form of physical stimulation, including touch. Such would include very hot or very cold showers, back rubs, and activities that stimulate any of the senses, such as video games, sports and most any kind of exercise. Some of the leading causes may be surgery during infancy that requires strapping the baby down, orthopedic corrective devices, such as bars, prolonged confinement to an incubator, and even a difficult delivery, whereby the baby is trapped in the birth canal. Tubes in the ears to correct hearing infections, procedures to the eyes, and immobilization of any part of the body or the entire body are also included. Because understimulation may be a cause, and excess energy is the result, I have found that the stimulation of massage for children with ADHD is extremely effective. While benefits have been seen in my practice for massaging young kids with ADHD, research also suggests positive effects for adolescents. Well-known researcher Tiffany Field, executive director of the Miami-based Touch Research Institutes (TRI), and her team of researchers have uncovered positive findings of massage on adolescents with ADHD. For the study, which was published in the Spring 1998 issue of Adolescence magazine, the researchers selected 28 adolescents, 14 of whom received a 15-minute massage session for 10 consecutive school days, and 14 of whom received 15 minutes of relaxation therapy for 10 consecutive school days. Assessment of the participants revealed that those who received massage were happier, and teachers noticed the positive change in these students
Posted on: Tue, 28 Jan 2014 23:41:37 +0000
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