Anyone who has gotten a massage understands the many benefits that it offers. Massage is usually reserved for adults or sometimes infants but what about massage for kids and adolescents? If massage helps calm the body and improve alertness, how might it help kids with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder ADD/(ADHD)? Can children and teenagers who can't sit still benefit from massage?
Massage for ADD/ADHD. Two recent studies conducted by the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami reported that regular massage therapy can be an effective treatment for kids with ADD/ADHD. One study found adolescent boys who received ten 15-minute daily massages were observed by their teachers to be more focused in their schoolwork, and they fidgeted less. In addition, the children rated themselves as happier than those who participated in a relaxation therapy program.
Another study involved kids aged 7-18, 20 percent of whom were girls. Each subject received a 20-minute massage twice a week. They showed immediate improvement in their moods and longer-term behavioral improvement in the classroom. They also reported feeling happier and their teachers found them to be more attentive.
In adult studies, massage has been shown to reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol, helping to mitigate the active fight-or-flight response. Massage also helps improve math computation performance and raises alertness levels, as measured on electroencephalograms (EEGs). Finally, massage decreases depression and increases mental focus. The same effects are seen in children and teenagers with ADHD.
Studies have suggested that ADD/ADHD may have reduced regional cerebral blood flow. Thus, they may have decreased oxygen available for cognitive functioning. Mind Booster Massage increases the oxygen flow in the blood and and the levels of oxygen available for uptake by the brain.
Please contact our qualified massage therapist for Mind Booster Massage Therapy. The Massage can also help on many levels and at many ages from children, pre-teens, teenagers, early adulthood and adults.
Hakim - 012-3306615
Ali - 019-9866310
Sue - 012-3080046/016-2918685
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