There are a lot of contradictions and misconceptions when it comes to baby massage. The main idea in the air is that massage is necessary for all babies under one year old and only a professional massage therapist can perform such a complex procedure with high quality. It is very likely that this idea was not formed by chance, but at the suggestion of those who benefit from it - massage therapists and those with whom they share (as a rule, each neurologist has his own version of the “best” massage therapist). Let's figure out who should do baby massage and how the wrong approach to massage can affect a child. In this post I dwelled in detail on the most current issues baby massage:
Massage for children under one year old | Why is crying unacceptable?
With preventive and restorative massage In children under one year of age, crying can be observed for two reasons:
- stress from contact with a stranger;
- incorrect dosage of massage.
Both are unacceptable! A separate conversation about massotherapy, but before you start therapeutic massage as prescribed by neurologists, make sure that the child really needs it - read Arguments against stress: 
1. Excessive high level stress excessively increases the level of the hormone cortisol, which not only inhibits many processes in the body, but can also have a destructive effect on the immune and nervous systems. There is a lot of detail about this hormone in Sue Gerhardt's book, How Love Shapes a Child's Brain. Trial version of the book. The book is simply gorgeous - it provides in accessible language an analysis of the biochemical processes of the brain in practical situations and announcements of scientific research. I recommend it to expectant and new mothers as a gift. The book also provides practical instructions, for example, to minimize the baby's stress during various procedures, it is necessary that the mother is always nearby and her face expresses calm, confidence and encouragement. It turns out that in such cases, despite the pain of the procedures, the level of the hormone cortisol practically does not increase. And in addition, I will give a few more announcements of foreign research on the destructive effects of cortisol on various systems and elements of the body:
- Lymphocytes, the cells of the immune system, may become less sensitive or may even begin to destroy them and stop producing new ones. Stress has been shown to affect the body's susceptibility to disease, activity, and outcome of various immune diseases. (Calcagni E1 2006);
- Proven Negative influence as a keepsake. If stress continues for a long time, people become distracted and forgetful ( Carmen Sandi 2007);
- A decrease in neuroplasticity of the cerebral cortex has been proven (the ability brain, change under the influence of experience). Martin 2008.
Massage for children under one year old | What to do to prevent your baby from crying during a massage
To eliminate stress, you should let your baby get used to the massage therapist. Our mistakes: The first course of massage that we conducted as prescribed by a neurologist was pure hell! The chosen masseuse turned out to be a master of her craft and also a real sadist. Each session was accompanied by unbearable crying and lectures about the importance of these painful procedures for the future full life of my baby. Much later, I learned that a “bad” ultrasound and slow rates of development do not need to be treated at all! Read about it Our work on bugs: For the next massage course (5 months), a child-friendly masseuse was chosen and the decision was made to massage at home! Despite the fact that the first course was conducted at the beginning of the third month and memory still works poorly at that age, Yana began to howl like a beluga when she saw the white coat. The first couple of massage sessions began on my hands with massaging my legs and lasted 5 minutes. In the next few sessions, watching cartoons on the phone was suggested as a distraction, which did their job - they reduced stress to a minimum. By the last sessions, there were enough rattles as distractions and the apogee was complete relaxation when Yana fell asleep during the massage. 2. Massage dosage When prescribing a massage for the correct dosage of impact, it is recommended to use the following formula: In this case, the load includes: strength, volume, technique and duration. That is: the larger the numerator, the stronger the response, which, if “overdone,” can lead to an overdose. As with any treatment, getting a big dose of massage can help side effects. For massage these are: headaches, dizziness, instability blood pressure, deterioration of the cardiovascular system. A specific point of baby massage is that the child cannot complain about the side effects of an overdose. At the same time, for the children's massage therapist to attract large quantity It is beneficial for clients to receive a massage with the maximum dosage, which is accompanied by maximum effect. Here it is appropriate to recall the concept of the effectiveness of procedures - the benefits of the procedure must exceed the harm. It's obvious that there can be no benefit from intensifying the pace of baby’s development due to excessive dosage of massage, well, perhaps just to stroke the pride of the parents. The optimal dosage of restorative (preventive) massage for children under one year of age:
- by time - for the first massage sessions you should start with 10 minutes, then you can increase to 20-25 minutes;
- in terms of intensity - movements should be moderate and not cause discomfort to the child (restorative and preventive massage).
The dosage of therapeutic massage is another matter - these are most often quite intense procedures and the dosage will depend on the specific case. If your baby is indicated for therapeutic massage, be sure to study And here is his opinion about pain during massage:
There are some unpleasant rehabilitation techniques for seriously ill patients, in which children scream, but in most cases, massage is prescribed according to invented indications. If you can do without injury, then it is better to do so.
Massage for children under one year old |Benefits of massage with mother’s hands
On the playground, I once had the opportunity to talk with one granny, who proudly told me that a professional massage therapist gave her granddaughter 10 courses of preventive massage in her first year! In an attempt to impress me, she also announced the cost of the course, which turned out to be too high. I must add that at that time, my Yana was 1 year old and she walked only with support. A girl of the same age who received 10 courses professional massage I was already walking confidently. Of course, granny was sure that the fast pace motor development granddaughters are the merit of the massage therapist and that’s very cool. In that situation, I didn’t even try to convince her that she was mistaken. But this post is exactly the case when I will try to convince you that there must be good reasons to contact professional massage therapists, and in their absence - nothing can be better than a massage performed by mother's hands! 1. No stress from contact with a stranger 2. No overdose 3. Opinion about the effectiveness of massage from mother, specialist in the field of child development, Polina Lvovna with forum and the Discussion Club of the Russian Medical Server: Massage in general, as a way to stimulate the development of a child, is as useful as any stroking baby. There are studies about faster and more complete development of those cubs of cats and dogs that were licked by their mother, compared to those cubs that were deprived of this opportunity. The question immediately arises of who should stroke the human baby: its own mother, who will sing, kiss and smile during the massage, or someone else’s aunt, who will knead it for unknown purposes. At a minimum - your trip to the clinic will create an additional danger of catching an infection, and at home/private - it is usually excessive for the child, since not a single massage therapist will come to you for 15 minutes, which is what your child needs. Let me remind you that cats and dogs do not call more experienced individuals to lick their cubs. She copes quite well on her own. 
4. Opinion of Polina Lvovna (a highly qualified specialist in the field of child development from the forum of the Discussion Club of the Russian Medical Server) about the inappropriateness and effectiveness of massage for children under one year old in order to normalize hypertension:
“Hypertonicity can last up to 4 months (this is on average). During this time, they manage to do a course of massage and note with satisfaction that the tone has returned to normal. Then comes the stage decreased tone, for example, the child did not turn over during the procedure - another massage. The kid understands that things are bad and something needs to be done, and his age has come. He rolls over on his stomach, sometimes sits down, and crawls. But it happens that he does not make it on time - and then he is overtaken by the third course of massage, after which he begins to get up and walk by the age of one year, one year and three months. What can you do to activate your baby? Maternal massage (stroking, braking, all sorts of belly kisses and other licking), swimming in the bathroom, you can do a stimulating complex on a ball. Usually this is enough. If not, then you can choose a set of gymnastics - play exercises that are enjoyable for both mother and child."
Liesel Polinsky’s book “PEKiP: play and movement,” according to which Polina Lvovna recommends gymnastics and games for first-year children, can be downloaded and purchased. It can also be a wonderful gift for future or new parents.
What kind of massage is needed for increased intracranial pressure, intracranial hypertension, hypertension syndrome, hypertensive-hydrocephalic syndrome, “bad” ultrasound of the brain, “bad” neurosonography, echoEG?
If your baby has a slow pace of development (you can read about developmental norms), then most neurologists will doom him with additional diagnostics (most often ultrasound), as a result of which any deviation “requiring urgent treatment” will necessarily be identified, a dubious diagnosis will be established and prescribed courses of massage, vascular drugs (Cavinton, cinnarizine, Sermion, nicotinic acid, Cortexin, Actovegin, etc.), nootropic drugs (nootropil, piracetam, pantogam, encephabol, picamilon, etc.). In addition to the listed variety, the imagination of neurologists can run wild and the list of prescriptions may include vitamins, dietary supplements, herbs and homeopathy. Very accessible and detailed this problem pediatric neurologist, Candidate of Medical Sciences - Vasily Nagovitsin (by the way, at the forum of the Discussion Club of the Russian Medical Server, this was approved by more than 10 medical specialists dealing with children):
“What to do if a child has a “bad” neurosonography, echoEG, or ultrasound of the brain? Usually you don't have to do anything! Neurosonography (NSG, also known as ultrasound of the brain) is an approximate method that allows you to roughly assess the structure of the brain and see some gross problems. If you suspect serious problems(hemorrhages, space-occupying formations, malformations) NSG alone is not enough, clarifying studies are prescribed - tomograms. For conclusions about high blood pressure you need to know the clinical picture. Any changes on ultrasound without complaints and objective changes are normal developing child does not matter. Ultrasound of the brain does not show intracranial pressure. Only the structure of the brain is visible. Deviations of a few millimeters from the conventional norms on the NSG form do not matter, because close to the method error. EchoEG (echoencephalography, echoencephaloscopy) is an even more approximate outdated research method, not used almost anywhere except the CIS. EchoEG does not show intracranial pressure. On it you can only see whether there is something in the brain that displaces one of the hemispheres to the side (hematoma, tumor, etc.).” They treat not the picture on the screen of the ultrasound machine, but the patient. Patient = 1) complaints + 2) findings during examination + 3) Ultrasound and other methods.
Vasily Nagovitsin also prepared a detailed one that can reassure the most suspicious mother (the article was also approved by pediatricians and development specialists of the Discussion Club of the Russian Medical Server):
INCREASED INTRACRANIAL PRESSURE (options: intracranial hypertension, hypertension syndrome, hypertensive-hydrocephalic syndrome, etc.). The universal “diagnosis of intracranial hypertension” is a defect of domestic neurology. Fortunately, in most cases such a “diagnosis” has nothing to do with real problems patient. Moreover, in the formulation of the diagnosis this term can be present only in one case - with the so-called. idiopathic (or benign) intracranial hypertension (incidence rate 1-2 per 100,000 population). Increased intracranial pressure is not a diagnosis, but a description of one of the links in the development of many different diseases. Intracranial pressure (ICP) increases with hydrocephalus, brain tumors, neuroinfections (encephalitis, meningitis), severe traumatic brain injury, intracranial hemorrhage, some rare hereditary diseases, etc. The main signs of increased ICP:- headaches, - nausea, vomiting or regurgitation (usually unrelated to meals, often in the morning), - disturbances in vision and movement of the eyeballs (strabismus), - so-called congestive optic discs in the fundus, - disturbances of consciousness (from stupor to coma), - in children of the first year of life - excessive growth of head circumference ( normal values see below), bulging and tension of the fontanelle, divergence of the sutures between the bones of the skull. Convulsions are possible, and with a long-lasting pathological process - mental impairment, blindness, paralysis. We must remember that SEPARATELY each of the listed signs NOT EVIDENCE about increased ICP. Attention! If a child really has increased intracranial pressure, then he needs urgent hospitalization, because We are talking about a threat to life! The following are not signs of increased ICP:- dilated ventricles, interhemispheric fissure and other parts of the cerebrospinal fluid system on a neurosonogram (NSG) or tomograms - sleep and behavior disorders - hyperactivity, attention deficit, bad habits - mental, speech and motor development disorders, poor academic performance - “marble” skin pattern, in including on the head - nosebleeds - “finger impressions” on an x-ray of the skull - tremor (shaking) of the chin - walking on tiptoes DIAGNOSTICS It is possible to objectively assess the state of ICP only during an operation with opening of the skull or (less reliably) during a lumbar puncture. All other studies provide indirect information that can form a certain picture only with competent interpretation by a doctor. Enlargement of the ventricles of the brain, subarachnoid spaces, interhemispheric fissure is often detected in healthy people and without clinical picture doesn't say anything. According to NSG (CT, MRI), a diagnosis is not made and treatment is not prescribed. The most accessible initial diagnostic method for suspected increased ICP is examination of the fundus. Additional Methods examinations are designed to clarify the nature of brain damage. Imaging methods (neurosonography, computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging) are not directly related to the determination of pressure, although they can help clarify the cause of the disease, assess the prognosis and suggest a course of action. The use of echoencephaloscopy (EchoES, or EchoEG - echoencephalography) “to determine ICP” is a common misconception in the post-Soviet space. It is fundamentally impossible to assess pressure using echoes. This ancient method is used only for a quick and extremely approximate search for large volumetric intracranial formations (tumors, hematomas, etc.). EchoES data can be useful in car 03 or in the emergency department when determining first aid methods and choosing a place of hospitalization. It is also impossible to assess ICP using electroencephalography (EEG), rheoencephalography (REG). Just in case, it is worth mentioning the “diagnosis” according to Voll, Nakatani and similar charlatan methods - these procedures have nothing to do with diagnosing anything at all and serve only to take money. TREATMENT Treatment of conditions accompanied by increased ICP depends on the causes of their occurrence. Thus, for hydrocephalus, operations are performed in which excess cerebrospinal fluid is drained from the cranial cavity, if a tumor is present, it is removed, and for neuroinfections, antibiotics are administered. Also used symptomatically drug treatment, aimed at reducing ICP, however this is usually a temporary measure for an acute situation. The common practice of “treating” any disease with diuretics (diacarb, triampur) is incorrect. In most cases, such treatment is aimed at a non-existent diagnosis. If there are real indications, treatment should be carried out in a hospital under strict supervision. The desire for “drug treatment of intracranial hypertension” can lead to loss of time and the development for this reason of irreversible changes in the body (hydrocephalus, blindness, intellectual impairment). On the other hand, treating a healthy patient risks “only” side effects used drugs. To confirm this, one can cite the world-famous manual Child Neurology (J. Menkes, H. Sarnat, 2005)
As a rule, drug treatment for hydrocephalus is ineffective, because in most cases, hydrocephalus is the result of impaired absorption of cerebrospinal fluid, and this process is practically not regulated by medications. Majority existing drugs, proven to reduce cerebrospinal fluid production, with the exception of acetazolamide and furosemide, are poorly tolerated in effective dosages. These drugs in appropriate doses (100 mg/kg/day of acetazolamide and 1 mg/kg/day of furosemide) reduce the production of cerebrospinal fluid - acetazolamide due to inhibition of carbonic anhydrase, furosemide due to inhibition of the transport of chlorine ions. Each of these drugs can reduce the production of cerebrospinal fluid by 50%; the effect of their combination is higher. A decrease in cerebrospinal fluid production by 1/3 leads to a decrease in intracranial pressure by only 1.5 mm of water column, which limits clinical application these medications. Today they are used as a temporary measure before surgery. There is no cure for any condition with elevated ICP:— “vascular drugs” (Cavinton, cinnarizine, sermion, nicotinic acid, etc.) — “nootropic drugs” (nootropil, piracetam, pantogam, encephabol, picamilon, etc.) — homeopathy — herbs — vitamins — massage — acupuncture
I hope the arguments I have given have convinced you that the most the best option For the baby this is a massage done by mother’s hands! Let's stop the senseless race for accelerated rates of development and stop treating healthy children. And in return, we will provide them with the joy of emotional and tactile contact with us - mothers.
You may also be interested in the following material:
- You are treating a child with Viferon and Derinat, then you should know
- Find out if the neurologist is rushing things;
About the author Mom is boring
In the recent past, I was a software engineer. Favorite platforms ASP.NET, MS SQL. 14 years of experience in programming. Blogging since 2013 (year of Yana’s birth). In 2018, I turned my hobby into my favorite job. Now I'm a blogger!
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Massage for children up to one year old. Basics: 39 comments
- Anonymous
Yanochka, you will forgive me, but this article is about nothing... The fact that mother’s warmth and affection are beneficial to the baby has been known to everyone for a long time... Your point of view on massage may be correct from the point of view of the average person, but from the point of view of professionalism it is not no ground underneath. I don’t know why the massage therapists offended you so much, but I’ll tell you this: you can’t judge everyone by one thing!
- Yana
Good afternoon
First of all, I would like to thank you for your site.
However, I will note what I expected from this article practical advice on massage and gymnastics, specific exercises, etc.
Also, after reading the comments, I would like to disagree with you:
1. There are times when a massage is necessary and we, mothers who do not have medical education and experience, can never be sure that the doctor is making money for us or prescribing a massage justifiably.
2. Even if the massage was carried out without any particular need for the baby, the massage probably had a positive effect on the mother’s psyche, and ultimately on the baby’s health.
And lastly, everyone has their own opinion. And it may not coincide with yours. We are just guests on your site with our own opinions. There is no need to argue and swear.Health and happiness to you and your family.
Mother of 5 month old Yaroslav - the healthiest, cheerful and cheerful baby)))
- Catherine
I totally agree! Healthy children do not need specialized massage courses at all! Pediatricians really like to play it safe with tone, etc... that’s their job! And tone up to six months is generally the norm. I went through this myself. At 2.5 months they said that I had tone and needed a massage. Due to inexperience, we went out of fear and did it. And this is 1300 UAH for a minute... According to the “book”, the tone should go away by 4 months. Well, he just left... and the massage had nothing to do with it... They only massaged the legs again due to mild dysplasia. But again, the massage does not set the bones in place and I don’t think that it had any drastic effect... the orthopedist had more of an impact. panties and leg spreads 500 times a day.
-
Ekaterina, please tell me if hip dysplasia is good reason for a massage? By the time we were 8 months old, we had already done 3. We probably won’t do any more, because... The diagnosis was almost removed. Thank you.
- sweetheart
Question to Ekaterina: If your daughter, when she goes to first grade, suddenly comes across a sadistic teacher, then you will write an article about how harmful it is to study at school (someone else’s aunt, psychological pressure, lack of proper nutrition, excessive stress, and hence, as a rule, stress with an increase in cortisol levels....) ? Here you are an engineer and programmer, and you have taken on the responsibility of giving people advice on the advisability of massage for children under one year old, and on the rules of complementary feeding. But this is the competence of a pediatrician! And only a doctor! I have already written here about the consequences of such a sanctimonious attitude of parents towards their children. The period of child development up to one year, when all organs and systems are formed, is very important. MOMS and DADS DO NOT LISTEN to such advisers and their primary sources are questionable. Unfortunately, we meet bad specialists and in medicine, but this is not a reason to judge everyone as a whole. I love my job, and the result of my work is important to me, not just the payment! It's professional. You won't understand this. I'm afraid you won't understand your mistake. You refused professional massage, and here is the result - your girl sat down only at 9 months. It seemed nonsense, not important. You're wrong, it's important! Hence the delay general development, including speech, which you had.
If you want fame at any cost, then get it! I have a disgusting impression of you!- Post author
Dear Mila. It’s a pity that you didn’t read my article and the comments to it. The article clearly states that Yana received 3 courses of massage before she was 1 year old, 2 of which were therapeutic with a high dosage. You position yourself as a physician, but Evidence-based medicine is “dubious sources” for you. Well, what can I say... You are a dubious doctor.
P.S. When you indicated your professional affiliation, the true selfish reason for your “discussion” became clear. Hello massage therapists!
- sweetheart
Ekaterina, I am truly a respected specialist. My former patients are already over 25. Respect, Katya, money can’t buy you. As for your emotions that you pour out to the public. You got a bad massage therapist and in one fell swoop you labeled everyone as bad. Moreover, they accused everyone of self-interest and collusion with doctors. Let's ask everyone: Who works for free? You? Or Olya? The question is who takes how much. And here you have the right to choose. Have you ever seen or at least heard that massage therapists have expensive foreign cars, country houses, etc. If a specialist comes to your home, finds an approach to your child and to you too (and this is not easy), it costs 40 minutes, doing massage, teaches you gymnastics, even gives advice on other issues (he also has a medical education), do you consider this self-interest? How much did the session cost you? 500? How many such massages would you personally do per day and every day, wandering around the city without weekends and holidays? At the same time, you need to calm down the child, who can cry for many reasons and even for no reason (read carefully your “evidence-based” (and who proved it?) medicine. At the same time, you need to find an approach and calm down mothers like you, so that the child does not transmit excitement (scientific medicine).Self-serving people do not work here!
R.S. Katya, I am not a dubious doctor. And you are not a doctor at all! So no need to get angry! You and I have one goal - to raise healthy children! Say hello to those massage therapists who offended you. You don't know me and won't recognize me. I came across your site by accident, I won’t log in again - it’s disgusting!
- sweetheart
- Victoria
Dear, you should write your “disagreement” on your website, and not run here and crap in the comments. The author of the site has helped hundreds of parents for free, and if you disagree, write it somewhere else. We need to respect people's boundaries and personal space, including on the Internet.
- Post author
- sweetheart
Good day everyone! Do you pay attention to how many adults and children have such “defects” as lameness, clubfoot, stoop, torticollis, scoliosis? So many! So, these people just needed to do massage and therapeutic exercises on time. Choose a massage therapist based on the following criteria:
1. medical education
2.specialization in baby massage(basic courses)
3.experience in medicine
4. personal qualities (cleanliness, friendliness, attentiveness)
Then you will have a relationship between mother + child + massage therapist. Who forces you to endure the “sadistic massage therapist”? It's like sitting next to a drunk driver.
Good luck to all! (nurse, massage therapist with 25 years of experience, mother of 2 children)- Galina
Mila. Good afternoon. I took the liberty of answering for Ekaterina. After all, she has repeatedly written in the comments that HEALTHY children do not need massage. And with those “defects” that you write about, it is needed.
- sweetheart
Defects will appear in healthy children, dear author of the article and everyone who is interested in the topic. For example, curvature of the knee joints and spine. Scoliosis_ serious disease. Did you know that these curvatures begin in infancy? Here they are, to put it mildly. self-confident mothers leave their baby’s development to chance. What kind of belly button kisses are there?! From birth to a year of child development, there are stages or periods that correspond to special complexes of massage and gymnastics. For healthy children, I emphasize, for healthy children. Unfortunately, among some parents, there is an opinion that they do not need a professional. If it is not possible to hire a massage therapist, at least listen to advice. I assure you that harm to babies can be caused not only by illiterate massage therapists, but also often by the parents themselves.
- Karina
All children need massage, including healthy ones, because thanks to it we help children strengthen their muscles, it is aimed at correct formation certain skills and prevention of various painful conditions or deformities.
Helps babies stay healthy and facilitates the development process (does not speed it up!)
Moms are not doctors and you can’t do massage yourself based on pictures! Click the wrong button and a whole series of troubles will follow!
Of course, you need a good recommended massage therapist, no one argues, it’s better from friends and acquaintances.
For example, in our first session I practically danced a dance with tambourines so that the baby would be distracted, and we almost didn’t cry, then we stopped whining completely and greeted my aunt with smiles.- Post author
Your message only speaks of your inexperience as a mother. Stop being afraid of your baby, finally “cuddle” him yourself and you won’t have to turn to other people’s aunts for a preventive massage for a healthy baby. This is exactly what professionals who are not interested in income from baby massage talk about.
- Karina
I didn't ask you about my experience.
You either don't hear or you don't listen.
You can cuddle your baby at home, this means light gymnastics and stroking, and you can exercise on a ball, but you won’t learn how to do a full complex massage in a week from a video on YouTube. You are not a qualified medical worker, people learn this for a long time, this is the structure of the muscles, and where you can press where you can’t, if the adductors of the hips are tense, you can’t touch them, so as not to aggravate them even more, as with a spring, if you touch it, it will become even more tense.
Your one-year-old child walked unsteadily, maybe your home massage therapist didn’t have the same effect.- Post author
I didn’t ask you for your opinion on my article either, but you brought it up. In addition, without even reading the entire article, they began to criticize it.
We held 3 profs in the first year. massage and I perfectly saw all the monotonous movements of three different best massage therapists in the city. There is nothing supernatural there, believe me. Still, read Rusmedserver, it will be very useful for you.
- Post author
And yes, my child began to walk “on time” in accordance.
While WHO considers the norm to begin walking independently at 17 months, for our specialists, an unsteady gait at the beginning of the first year has become an excellent reason for additional massage and other relatively honest takings of money from citizens.
- Post author
- Karina
- Post author
Karina, study quality medical resources, for example, the evidence-based medicine forum (links are in the article). Since you are also a bore, don’t be lazy and go through the links provided. They are posted for people like you. My blog is just a bridge for mothers to serious sources of information. Good luck!
- Post author
- sweetheart
- Galina
- Ulyana
Thank you for the article. You straightened out everything that was swirling around in my head. Just the other day I was trying to explain all this to a friend. The situation there is a little different - the baby has learned to roll over on one side. Of course, on the same day there is panic, you need to invite a massage therapist, you need to run, put it out, throw it... And a couple of days later the baby discovered the other side and is now tumbling over both. About children with DIAGNOSIS who are not “drink a drop of Abra-Kadabra.” I took massage courses with such mothers, talked with their children, they are real great, because in such situations, drops and a massage course with swimming are a grain of salt to an elephant. This means massage/gymnastics every day, appropriate medications and other dances with a tambourine so that a two-year-old can sit down. For a healthy child, a mother’s massage, the simplest “pat and scratch,” is quite enough. If the mother is not confident in her abilities, it is quite possible to invite a massage therapist to train the mother; there is also a nurse from the office at the clinic healthy child can show you everything for free.
- Valentina
I’m not suggesting anything 🙂 I believe that you need to help the child, and not bury yourself and wait for him to “grow out of it.” You are just suggesting staying at home, not going to doctors, not looking for specialists, self-medicating and waiting for the child to grow up... Your article was written, excuse me, very one-sidedly, through some categorical judgments, and the fact that Professional massage has more positive effects You’re not writing something. But there are children with various forms cerebral palsy, orthopedists generally give them massages, the children feel pain and, of course, tears, but how else? Do you think it’s better to let mom pet them at home? Parents are obliged to look for competent specialists - neurologists, pediatricians, massage therapists. And it's not that expensive. These are all excuses. If you are writing an article, you should consider the issue comprehensively, and not engage in a selection of exclusively similar opinions to your own. You're being too subjective. It’s one thing to write about development programs, and another to write about treatment. You need to be more careful in such topics. I think it’s better to either write only about your experience, without pseudoscientific judgments and a categorical tone, or to objectively present the data, and not distort them when it is convenient for the author.
Understanding cannot be one-sided. To be understood the way you want, consider such questions not only from whether something suited your daughter or not. And tomorrow she will be allergic to water, so you’re talking about the dangers water procedures will you start writing? You have a lot of useful things in your articles, but your aggressive tone in the comments (and in other topics too), when there is constructive criticism, leaves you with nothing but disappointment... And massage for up to a year is very useful and effective for any child. This is a no brainer) and there is no need to write heresy and mislead people. Kefir, massage, vaccinations, where else are the enemies of Russian children? So it’s not far to get to the dugouts :)
- Post author
A classic technique with a portion of false and vague statements.
I give my reasons:
“Understanding cannot be one-sided. " - lie
“To be understood the way you want” - how do you know what I want? Judging by your comments, you don’t even have the remotest idea about this.
“tomorrow she will be allergic to water” - when a massive allergy of children to water begins, perhaps I will consider it necessary to write about it.
“from your aggressive tone in the comments” - re-read YOUR first comment
“And massage up to one year is very useful and effective for any child.” — the concept of efficiency includes many parameters, which is written about in detail in the article, but you are not interested in this.P.S. If you don’t feel sorry for my free time, feel sorry for yours and don’t continue the unnecessary exchange of negativity.
ValentinaHello! I found your site on the Internet, and at first I was glad that there was a lot of useful information. But after reading articles about kefir, and now about massage, I became completely upset... Author, why are you misleading people by giving only opinions that do not contradict yours. Where are the studies that prove that massage is the basis for healthy physical development? I massage my baby myself, and have already completed 2 courses professionally. Although he is healthy and there were no indications, I just see the result and the child enjoys this procedure (by the way, a healthy child sees himself this way, they cry with problems because the nervous system is overloaded). This is helping your child. To refuse this benefit if possible is unreasonable ignorance and laziness. It’s just that many mothers with problem children refuse to admit their mistakes during childbirth and pregnancy, bury their heads in the sand and believe that it will go away on its own. Well, you can pull in any facts, articles and suitable experts... What's next? Is there any harm in infant swimming? Well, you can’t look at everything so flatly. Still, there are more benefits, and if something doesn’t suit you, this is not a reason to write “exposing” opuses. It’s just not for your child, that’s all.
KseniaI’m probably a lazy mom, but I never got around to masseuses :)
It was always easier for me to find a book or video about massage and do it myself at a time convenient for me and the child, than to drag him somewhere and disturb him if he fell asleep. I also support the opinion that a mother can handle a massage herself - it’s not difficult, especially since there is so much information on this topic now. Over time, our dad became very interested in massage and gave it to the child just perfectly! - Olga
It has long been thought that massage is an overblown topic. Thank you for the article, I was just waiting for you :) I didn’t do a single course for my second child (9 months), although both the orthopedist and the neurologist prescribed “massage”. One orthopedist, well-known in our city, considers a child’s crying to be an indicator of the effectiveness of massage.
- Post author
Hello, dear parents!
How can we stimulate physical development crumbs in the first year of life? Daily massage and small gymnastics will help us, which will prepare the child for an independent transition from one state to another.
The simplest health course of massage and gymnastics can be mastered by any mother and carried out for preventive purposes every day at home.
- Classes should be conducted in a well-ventilated room. Recommended 45 minutes after eating. It is advisable to conduct classes in the first half of the day. Since the baby at this time more strength and energy.
- It is better to conduct classes on a flat, hard surface; at home it can be a regular table or a changing room. Pediatricians recommend working out with pebbles, so that the child, along with the massage, will harden a little. Your hands must be clean and always warm, warm them up warm water or rub your palms together. And also pay attention to manicure and jewelry that can scratch or damage the baby. Use baby cream or baby oil.
- The duration of the session depends on the patient. The first sessions, if the baby doesn’t mind, last no more than 5 minutes, then gradually introduce new exercises and the session time increases accordingly.
- Prepare everything you need nearby: clean drinking water in a bottle, a replacement diaper or diaper.
- It is recommended to start massage no earlier than after 20 days of the child’s stay at home.
- The child must be healthy and in a good mood. It is better not to force a capricious child; anyway, there will be no benefit from such an activity.
- Do not rush your child to do certain movements ahead of time. All children develop at their own pace and yours is no exception. If the child does not have any abnormalities, he will sit up, crawl and start walking. Your task is only to stimulate it a little and strengthen the muscle corset, but not to run ahead of the locomotive. Excessive haste can lead to various disorders both in posture and in the formation of bones and skeleton.
- If your child bursts into tears, stop the activity immediately.
- During gymnastics, communicate with your baby, hum, read nursery rhymes, talk to him.
- Use toys for distraction and stimulation.
- Observe your baby, his mood and condition.
The physiological sequence in the development of a child’s movements should be as follows:
- raising and holding the head
- turns the body, flips from one position to another and back
- sitting
- independent change of positions: sitting - lying down and vice versa
- crawl
- standing with support, then without it
- walking with support
- walking without support.
Sometimes children may miss some stages; this is not considered a deviation from the norm of physical development.
Benefit
All pediatricians will tell you that children who do gymnastics and massage every day develop physically much faster, they have more endurance and strength, and are less susceptible to stress and colds.
If a child receives a massage while following all the recommendations given above, your baby will receive undoubted benefits from the sessions, namely:
- Stimulation of the skin. Touch helps develop the motor and sensory parts of the brain responsible for movement.
- Develops the musculoskeletal and cardiovascular systems
- Strengthening the muscle corset.
- Children sleep better and longer.
- Improves appetite, digestion, normalization of stool
- Colic is reduced
Contraindications
- increased temperature, runny nose, diarrhea, vomiting
- for rashes, redness, itching of the skin
- if the child does not want to study, is capricious, cries
- Children under 3 months should not massage the fontanel area on the head, under the knees, elbows, armpits, inner part hips Patching and pulsating, pressing movements are also contraindicated, which is associated with high muscle tone, which will only aggravate it.
Massage by month
Always start at the handles and work your way up to your shoulders, then work your way down. Preparatory exercises should be done before any exercise, regardless of age:
1 - 3 month
At this age, massage is very short-term and comes down to preparatory exercises. It is important to consider that when massaging the hands, you do not need to put pressure on the palm itself, since there is a grasping reflex.
A child in the first months of life has strong tone in the arms and legs, this is what the massage is aimed at, to relax the muscular system as much as possible. And every day you will notice how the baby opens his little hands.
Place the baby on its tummy and use your hands to create support for pushing off with its legs. This pose helps relieve gas and raise and hold your head for a few seconds.
3. Reflex crawling 
3 – 5 month
Massage at this age is aimed at strengthening the muscles of the cervical spine and general strengthening exercises. We repeat old exercises and add new ones. Hypertonicity has almost passed and the lesson time can be extended to 20 minutes if the child behaves well.
5 - 7 month
In this age group, children sit up independently and can change position: lying-sitting and vice versa. We strengthen the abdominals and lumbar region. Preparing the baby to crawl.
7-9 month
The baby crawled or is trying to do so. We continue to strengthen the lower spine and legs. The child tries to stand up against a support. We also need Strong arms to support yourself when falling. Rehearsing walking.
9 – 12 month
We complicate the exercises and introduce rings. We repeat all previously used exercises and introduce new ones. All muscle groups work. The child is preparing to walk independently.
After class, the child may cry, give him something to drink and hold him close to your heart, he is very tired. It is recommended to feed no earlier than 20-30 minutes after the massage.
Strong and strong babies to you!
Sincerely, Yulia Polonskaya
Gymnastics and general massage have a regulating effect on the functions of the central nervous system, breathing, blood circulation, digestion, and hematopoiesis. Under their influence, oxidative, trophic, and heat-regulating processes are stimulated and metabolism improves.
Gymnastics and massage for baby
Gymnastics and massage should be used in conjunction with all other educational measures (diet, sleep, organization of wakefulness, etc.).
Massage and gymnastic exercises are the most beneficial and expedient way to educate a child in correct and accurate movements. In the absence of targeted education, the development of movements in a child is delayed, and their quality noticeably deteriorates.
When choosing special exercises for a child it is necessary to take into account not only age characteristics, but also its features individual development. At each age stage, the child exhibits two types of reactions:
1) predominant, stronger, but tending to fade;
2) emerging, still very weak, but nevertheless tending to a steady increase.
For example, in the first 3 months of life, children have pronounced hypertension in the flexor muscles of the upper and lower extremities. Against this background, balancing of the extensor muscles arises and gradually increases.
Since during normal development child, hypertension of the flexor muscles is continuously declining, the first reaction is progressive. Promoting this reaction (relaxation of the flexor muscles) should be considered appropriate. Remedies that contribute to this include daily warm baths and light stroking massage, causing muscle relaxation; stimulating the child’s independent movements associated with extension, for which the main motor background of this age is used - innate reflexes. In the first months of life, it is advisable to use only reflexes that are associated with extension in exercises in order to prevent strengthening of the already predominant flexors.
If the balancing of the flexors and extensors of the upper extremities occurs in a timely manner, then the prerequisites are created for the development of manual skill, which will give the child the opportunity to reach for an object, take it, and then, holding on, pull himself up, lifting the torso. Thus, when timely development small muscles create the prerequisites for the development of large muscles, which provides the child with the ability to change position.
Physical exercises are prescribed for everyone healthy child, starting from 1.5-2 months of age. By this time, the child’s body adapts to the conditions of extrauterine existence, a certain lifestyle is established, and thermoregulation is improved.
For children infancy The exercises should be very simple and easy to do.
Contraindications to prescribing gymnastic exercises and massage to a healthy child in accordance with his age and individual characteristics does not exist.
Gymnastics and massage are carried out in a room at a temperature of 20-22°C. In summer, exercises must be performed with an open window or in the air at the same temperature.
The lesson itself is carried out on a table covered with a flannelette blanket folded in four, on top of which an oilcloth and a clean sheet are laid.
Classes are carried out once a day 45 minutes before or 45 minutes after feeding.
The hands of the nurse (or mother) should be clean, dry and warm.
The child is undressed; his body should be warm.
During the lesson, it is necessary to maintain a cheerful mood in the child, talk to him, encourage him to be active, smile, and use toys. While performing certain exercises, the nurse should carefully monitor the child’s reaction. If there is a negative reaction (deterioration of mood, crying), the procedure should be interrupted and the child should be calmed down.
The child should not be overtired. All movements must be done rhythmically, calmly and smoothly (without violence), repeating each one 2-3 times.
Massage and gymnastic exercises under the supervision of a doctor and a visiting nurse should be carried out by parents or other caregivers trained in massage and gymnastics techniques.
Basics of general methods of massage and gymnastics for young children
Development motor activity Infant development occurs in two directions - statics and motor skills. In accordance with this, groups of exercises for children of this age are determined: they include exercises for developing coordination, balance, as well as breathing movements. To develop the respiratory activity of young children, passive and reflex exercises are used.
Passive exercises are made not by a child, but by a massage therapist ( nurse, mother). They are designed to use the natural motor phase of the child’s muscles: flexion when a certain group of muscles contracts and extension when they relax.
Passive exercises should not be used until the child is 3 months old, since if there is existing flexor hypertension, performing them is associated with the danger of violence against the child! After 3 months of life, when complete balancing of the flexor and extensor muscles of the upper extremities occurs, passive movements for the arms can be gradually introduced, starting with the simplest ones and moving on to more complex ones. Balancing of the flexor and extensor muscles of the lower extremities is achieved between 4-5 months of life, which makes it possible to introduce passive movements for the legs.
Reflex exercises. To strengthen the muscles of the neck and torso, you can use reflex exercises designed for movements that occur according to the type of unconditioned motor reflexes. Innate motor reflex reactions appear in response to irritation of receptors in the skin, muscles, and nervous system. First, in the hanging position on the stomach, the child tilts his head back. After about a month (by 4 months), in the same position, his whole body begins to bend, forming an arch, open upward. This movement is an energetic stimulation and strengthening of the vestibular apparatus. From 4 months, in a hanging position on his back, the child tilts his head forward, straining the muscles of the front surface of the body. By regularly giving the indicated positions (holding the child hanging on his stomach, on his back), you can strengthen the muscles of the neck and torso. In the future, on the basis of these innate reflexes, it is possible to create conditioned connections in response to signal stimuli such as pulling the legs, sound signals, grasping, etc.
Exercises with assistance - passive-active. This includes movements that are performed by the child independently only partially, for example, sitting down when pulling the child by the arms or hands; standing with support under the arms, etc.
Active exercises- voluntary exercises that the child does independently.
Massage- one of the types of passive gymnastics. Its essence consists of mechanical irritations rhythmically and systematically applied to the child’s body.
Massage can be general or local. General massage has a significant and varied effect on the child’s body. There are five main massage techniques:
1. Stroking.
2. Rubbing.
3. Kneading.
4. Effleurage.
5. Vibration.
Stroking. When stroking, the skin is freed from epidermal scales, which leads to the opening of the ducts of the sebaceous and sweat glands. This method improves breathing and skin nutrition (skin vessels dilate, arterial and venous circulation), its firmness and elasticity increases.
Up to 3 months, children are massaged exclusively by stroking. After 3 months, other massage techniques are added: kneading, effleurage. General stroking massage lasts up to 6 months. In the future, it is necessary mainly in case of disturbances in turgor and muscle tone, as well as as a rest between exercises.
The massage begins with stroking. It alternates with other techniques and ends the massage. When stroking, one or both hands of the massage therapist fit tightly to the surface being massaged, glide slowly, calmly, rhythmically. Stroking is always performed taking into account venous and lymphatic outflow (along the way). Types of stroking:
Embracing. Performed with two hands. With one hand, the massage therapist holds the limb by the hand or foot, and with the other, he covers the limb between the thumb and the other four fingers.
Alternate stroking. It is performed with two hands in such a way that when one hand finishes the movement, the second one replaces it.
Cross-shaped stroking. It is performed with two hands, the fingers of which are intertwined.
Spiral stroking. Performed by the base of the palm, or the terminal phalanx thumb, or the other four fingers, or the entire palm. When stroking in a spiral manner, while maintaining the main direction of movements, additional spiral movements are described.
Stroking with weights. Performed with two hands. One hand, palm or back, lies on the massaged area, the second is on top and applies pressure, helps to perform stroking.
Trituration aims to influence mainly the musculoskeletal system of the child. This technique improves the nutrition of tendons, tendon sheaths, and mucous bursae; elasticity and contractility of muscles increase.
When rubbing, the skin is slightly stretched with your fingers. Not only the skin is rubbed, but also the tissues underlying it. Rubbing is performed in different directions. Types of rubbing:
Longitudinal rubbing. Performed with the thumbs of both hands. The fingers lie parallel and tightly on the massaged surface and rub it, moving in opposite directions.
Rubbing with fingertips. Performed with one or two hands. The fingers are bent, the ends are directed into the skin of the massaged area. Movements in different directions.
Spiral rubbing. It is performed similarly to spiral stroking, but more energetically with shifting the skin and rubbing it in different directions.
Row-like rubbing. Used for back massage. From the neck to the buttocks, rubbing is performed with the ends of the fingers of both hands, which slide over both. sides of the spine. From the buttocks to the neck, rubbing is performed with the back of the hands.
Sawing. Two hands work. The brushes are located parallel to the costal surface and rub the area, moving in opposite directions.
Kneading is aimed at increasing blood supply and improving nutrition of the massaged area. Mainly used for deep muscle massage. Muscles or individual muscle bundles are grabbed by the massage therapist’s fingers, slightly retracted and kneaded in different directions. Types of kneading:
Longitudinal kneading. Movements are performed along muscle fibers.
Transverse kneading. The muscle warms up in a transverse direction relative to the muscle fibers.
Double ring. Performed with both hands while massaging the shoulder muscles. The shoulder is covered between the thumb and the other four fingers. The hands, moving in opposite directions, seem to twist the triceps and biceps muscles and thereby knead them.
Effleurage, as a special type of massage, helps reduce the excitability of peripheral nerves, improve blood supply, and, consequently, muscle nutrition. Tapping also affects deeper-lying internal organs. This technique is performed by lightly tapping individual parts of the body (richer in muscles) with the ends of the fingers of both hands. In the youngest children, this technique in the form of rhythmic patting is performed with the palmar surface of the fingers of one or the other hand of individual parts of the body, most often the back, hips, less often the back surface of the lower leg. Types of effleurage:
Tapping with fingertips. The blows are delivered with two hands, the fingers of which are bent.
Effleurage of the palmar surface.
Pat. It is performed with two hands, the fingers of which are gathered into a “soft fist” and perform movements reminiscent of kneading dough.
Chopping. The blows are applied with the rib surface of the hand.
Vibration consists of transmitting uniform shocks quickly following each other to the body. This technique is used very rarely at an early age.
The following sets of exercises for different age groups very conventional and schematic. Each subsequent age complex, gradually becoming more complex, involves maintaining the exercises of all previous complexes.
A set of exercises for children aged 1.5 to 12 months
The complex consists of techniques general massage(stroking) and active movements based on innate unconditioned reflexes.
1. Massage-stroking the arms, legs, back, abdomen (a, b, c, d).
A set of exercises for children aged 1.5 to 3 months
2. Active movements - exercises for the feet, reflex extension of the spine, reflex crawling (e, f, g).
Passive movements are gradually introduced into the complex for this age due to a decrease in muscle hypertension.
1. Back massage (kneading) (a).
2. Moving your arms to the sides and crossing them on your chest (b).
3. Turning onto the stomach - reflex (c).
4. Deflection of the head back in a suspended position on the stomach (g).
5. Flexion and extension of the arms (e).
A set of exercises for children aged 3 to 4 months
6. “Sliding” steps (imitation of bicycle movements) (e).
In the period from 4 to 6 months it is necessary to introduce simple active movements. Special attention should be given to exercises in grasping, holding objects, swinging, etc. To do this, during gymnastics exercises for the hands must be combined with the education of the act of grasping. At first, the child himself must hold on to the finger of his sister-teacher; later (after 6 months) rings are used for the same purpose. At the same age, it is necessary to stimulate the child’s first attempts to change body position as preparation for crawling. Consequently, the system of exercises should anticipate the new things that inevitably arise in the child.
A set of exercises for children aged 4 to 6 months
1. “Hovering” in a prone position (a).
2. Raising the upper body from a position on the stomach with support from the arms extended to the sides (b).
3. Crawling with assistance (exercises to stimulate crawling) (c).
4. Flexion and extension of the legs (alternately and together) (d).
The second half of a child’s life is a period of mass emergence of conditioned connections that are developed on the basis of unconditioned and conditioned reflexes. Consequently, if earlier exercises were carried out according to the type innate reflex in response to an unconditioned stimulus, then in this period the exercises are carried out in response to conditioned stimuli. Such signals can be a slight tug on the legs, visual signals (rings, a stick), and then speech signals (sit down, stomp, take the rings, etc.).
At the age of 10 to 12 months, standing without support and walking develop. New elements of the technique appear - squatting. In this regard, appropriate squatting exercises are introduced. A variety of verbal instructions are introduced, which displaces the signals of the first signaling system (such as pulling the legs, turning the pelvis, etc.).
A set of exercises for children aged 6 to 12 months
1. Sitting down with your arms out to the sides (a).
2. Sitting down (exercise for arm flexors) (b).
3. Tilt of the torso (c).
4. Straightening the body (d).
5. Sitting down with support from your hands (e).
6. Squat (e)
8. Walking on all fours (h).
Always take into account the baby’s mood during classes and his reactions. Remember: exercise should evoke only positive emotions. If the child is capricious (especially crying), you should not insist. Choose another time!
Increase physical activity gradually. In order not to overtire the baby, conduct the lesson in 2-3 doses during the day. If he is calm, walks, does not get angry, he has pink skin, warm arms and legs, the load can be increased. It can also be adjusted - make classes shorter and longer, repeat exercises more or less times, diversify the pace and range of movements, alternate exercises of different complexity and rest.
Exercise with your baby every day at the same time, 30 minutes before feeding or 45-60 minutes after it. You shouldn't exercise before bed.
Before starting classes, at the end and throughout the day, stroke and rub your baby’s fingers and hands. It is very useful, when playing with a child, to place a small toy with an uneven surface in his palm and then, as it were, take it away.
Your hands should be warm, dry, and clean during exercise.
The room in which you study should be well ventilated, the air temperature in it is +20...22°.
While studying, focus all your attention on the child. Other people and noise are not welcome in the room. Speak quietly, calmly, kindly.
It will be great if quiet melodic music is played (Tchaikovsky, Mozart, Schubert, Vivaldi): all children, and especially those with disorders of the central nervous system, are very receptive to music.
The colors that are in his environment have a significant impact on the baby’s psyche and mood. Restless, loud, with increased physical activity Children are calmed by light green and blue tones. For those who are calm (especially phlegmatic and lethargic), bright, contrasting colors are good - the color of mother’s clothes, toys, pieces of furniture.
In order for the baby to fall asleep better and faster, it is advisable to have dim lighting of blue or cyan light; it is turned on when preparing for bed.
Massage and gymnastics for babies. Adapted techniques
As already mentioned, hypertonicity that is not eliminated in time will slow down the development of motor skills, and this means motor awkwardness, clumsiness, and disturbances in posture and gait. Such a baby is unlikely to become a welcome participant in children's games, which means he will begin to feel rejected and inferior; his psyche will suffer... In addition, he will lag even further behind in motor development, because collective children's games are no Swedish walls and there is no substitute for exercise equipment!
Delay not eliminated by massage motor development will slow down the formation of intelligence: a baby who has not learned to sit by six months is forced to spend hours looking at the square of the ceiling, while sitting he would look at many new wonderful things around. The inability to crawl and walk when the time has come deepens this “intellectual” hunger and delays the child’s exploration of the world around him.
The massage therapist himself?
"Massage? Yes, I can easily do it myself!” Mothers who are inclined to this point of view will have to be disappointed. To become a massage therapist (like a pianist!), you need an experienced “maestro” to “set” your hands. And it is often impossible to do without thorough medical training. Massage is performed by qualified physical therapists, as well as by specially trained secondary medical workers. It’s better to invite them.
But if (unfortunately it happens) the parents and child are left to their own devices: there is a six-month waiting list for a massage at the clinic, and the family budget cannot afford a paid specialist, or there is simply no qualified massage therapist in your town or village, you will have to deal with the baby yourself. Adapted techniques for some exercises will help you.
ADAPTED METHODS FOR SOME EXERCISES
Remember the rules
A newborn has a difficult task - to adapt to the world into which he finds himself. Therefore, in the first 4 weeks, doctors do not complicate the life of these babies with additional stress. They begin in the second month, and after six months the importance of massage gradually fades into the background, and gymnastics begins to take up more and more time.
A child’s poor health is an absolute contraindication to classes! Wait until he finally recovers.
Usually children like massage and gymnastics. They easily learn the exercises and, as they get older, diligently “help” you. If your baby shows displeasure at first, don’t be upset. Distract him with a toy, calm him down with a kind word, take him in your arms. You will have to be patient: the child will get into the rhythm of the classes and get used to the procedures gradually. If you don’t like a particular exercise, do it last or reduce the number of repetitions. Do not be overzealous - the baby will remember the unpleasant sensations, and especially the pain, for a long time. Redness of the skin, if it occurs under your hands, should be moderate and uniform. There should be no red spots and, of course, no bruises on the child’s body!
Classes are good every day in the morning, an hour before feeding or two hours after it, at a temperature of 20-22 ° C, in a bright, well-ventilated room without drafts.
Do massage and gymnastics on the changing table, which can be freely approached from three sides.
Before starting classes, wash your hands thoroughly with soap. Take off your watches, rings, bracelets - anything that could scratch your baby. There should be no wounds or abrasions on your hands, and your nails should be cut short.
Do not use ointments or creams.
The child remains naked during the massage, the first part of the complex. But for gymnastics, equip him like a real athlete - in a shirt or T-shirt with short sleeves and panties or diapers.
Exercises on the ball
Exercise 1.
Starting position (ip) - the child lies with his stomach on an inflatable ball; the legs are bent in the form of “frog legs” and pressed against the ball. Your assistant holds the baby's legs in this position, and you take the baby's hands in your hands and pull him towards you, and then return him to the starting position. Repeat 10 times. Don't forget to put a diaper on the ball!
Exercise 2.
I. p., as in exercise 1. Your assistant straightens the child’s palms so that all fingers become straight, and presses them to the ball. You hold the baby by the shins and pull them towards you, then return him to the i. n. Repeat 10 times.
Exercise 3.
I. p., as in exercise 1. The baby’s palms are pressed to the ball by your assistant, who holds it, and your task is to take the baby’s feet in your hands and, turning him down on the ball, place his feet on the horizontal surface of the table covered with a diaper. The baby’s body remains on the ball, but you make sure that the support is on the entire foot: the tucked toes need to be straightened. Do not place the baby on the inner or outer edges of the feet. The contact of the feet with the surface of the table is short-term: without pausing, move the ball to the starting position. Repeat 10 times.
Exercise 4.
I. p., as in exercise 1. Take the child’s hands in yours and tilt the ball so that the baby touches the surface of the table with open palms. Make sure he doesn't hit his forehead! Repeat 10 times.
Exercise 5.
The child lies with his back on the ball. You hold it by the sides and gently rock it from side to side and back and forth - 10 times in each direction. Exercise helps relax muscles.
If you notice that the baby is constantly arching to the right or left, lying on his stomach or on his back, that is, the muscle tone on one side is higher than on the other, perform exercise 6.
Exercise 6.
Place the child sideways on the ball: if it bends to the right - on the right side, if to the left - on the left. Smoothly swing the ball along the axis of the child's body. Repeat 10 times.
Exercises on the ball help the baby relax and facilitate further massage.
Back massage
Cover the table with a flannel blanket folded several times and place a diaper on top of it. Roll up a thick diaper and place it under the baby's chest. Your assistant stretches the baby's hands forward, pressing them to the table surface with outstretched palms.
1. Stroking perform back side closed fingers from bottom to top of the back, starting with the buttocks, which are also massaged. Repeat 5-6 times.
2. Trituration performed with the back of closed fingers, their middle phalanges, in a circular motion up the back, starting from the buttocks. Repeat 4 times.
3. Stroking (see exercise 1).
4. Kneading . Use your closed knuckles to make spiral movements from bottom to top of your back. Repeat 3-4 times.
5. Finish the back massage stroking (see exercise 1).
Hand massage
Only the outer surface of the arms is massaged - first the shoulders (between the elbow and shoulder joints), then the forearms (between the wrist and elbow joints).
1. Stroking Perform from bottom to top with the palmar surface of closed fingers. Repeat 5-6 times.
2. Trituration - in the same direction and order. Repeat 5-6 times.
3. Stroking (see exercise 1).
4. Kneading , as with a back massage, do it from the bottom up. Repeat 3-4 times.
5. Stroking (see exercise 1).
Breathing exercises
I. p. - on the back. Take the child by the hands and cross his arms on his chest, alternately placing the left and the right on top. Repeat 4 times. Then simultaneously raise both of the baby’s arms up, place them behind the baby’s head so that they lie on the table surface parallel to each other. Then lower your arms, extend them along your hips. Repeat V ^>-----<_i 4 раза.
Abdominal massage
Using the palm of your right hand, stroke your abdomen in a clockwise direction 10-12 times.
Foot massage
The technique and sequence are the same as for hand massage. Only the anterior outer surfaces of the thighs and legs need to be massaged.
Leg exercises
And p. - on the back.
1. Bend the baby’s legs at the hip and knee joints, close them, bringing the shins closer together. Your thumb holds the knee, and four fingers on the side grasp the baby's pelvis. Having placed your hands on the baby’s legs in this way, rotate the pelvis to the sides. Repeat 10 times in each direction.
2. Alternately bend and straighten the baby’s left arm and right leg 10 times. Then do the same with his right arm and left leg.
3. Breeding the legs at the hip joints. Repeat 10 times. Your efforts to overcome the child's resistance should be moderate. This exercise is not one of children's favorites.
Attention! Children with hip dysplasia can perform leg exercises only with the permission of an orthopedic doctor.
Turns from back to stomach
I. p. - on the back. Your assistant lifts the child's right arm up and holds it in that position.
You take the baby's left hand in your left hand, and hold the baby's right thigh with your right. The assistant presses the palm of the child's right outstretched hand to the table, straightening his fingers. You cross his left leg over his right, and the baby turns onto his tummy. Make 10 turns to the right and left.
Stomach crawling
I. p. - on the stomach. Your assistant takes the child by the hands, you take the legs. The assistant pulls the baby's right arm forward, straightening his fingers and pressing his palm to the table surface. You bend the baby's left leg and pull it towards the tummy. Then you do the same with the baby’s left arm and right leg, after which you return to the previous movement. This is how 10-20 “crawling” movements are performed. If the baby does not hold his head well, you will need another assistant who will support it with his palms from the sides so that the baby's head is in the midline.
Starting from 4 months, the child should master the following movements: sitting down while holding a stick, standing on all fours, squats and bending on a stick.
Sitting down
I. p. - on the back. The baby's arms are extended along the body. Your assistant presses the palm of the child's right hand to the table a few centimeters from his body. You hold the baby's legs with one hand so that they do not bend or come off the table, and with the other you lift him by the back and force him to sit with support on his right arm. At the same time, the baby’s body deviates slightly to the right, the arm bends slightly at the elbow. This way you teach your child to sit down. Having mastered the stereotype of this movement, he will perform the exercise more and more actively and by six months he will be able to do without your help. Do 10 sit-ups using your right arm and the same number using your left arm.
Sitting with a stick
I. p. - on the back. The fingers of both hands of the baby (thumbs - from below, the rest - from above) cover a stick with a diameter of 2-3 cm. Since the child usually holds on too weakly and can let go of the stick at any moment, hold his fists with your hands, at the same time forcing him to lift his back from the table and sit down baby. Your assistant secures the baby's legs as in the previous exercise. At the same time, he must ensure that the child does not hit the back of his head on the table surface when lying on his back. Repeat 10 times.
Standing on all fours
I. p. - on the stomach. Place your palm under the baby's chest, lifting him up, and with the other hand bend his legs at the knee and hip joints. At this time, the assistant presses the child’s outstretched palms to the table surface at shoulder width. Let him stay in this position for about a minute. At first, when balance reactions have not yet been developed, it will be difficult for the baby to maintain a position on all fours, but over time, stability comes.
Squat on stick
Place the stick on the table, cover it with a folded diaper several times. Take the child under your arms. Have your assistant position your baby's feet shoulder-width apart so that the stick is positioned exactly in the middle between his toes and heels. The feet should not move during squats. Repeat 10 times.
Tilts on a stick
The baby's feet are fixed as in the previous exercise. Hold the baby's legs in front with your left hand so that they do not bend at the knees, and place your right hand under the chest and stomach. Tilt the child's torso. Repeat 10 times.
Crawling on all fours
Performed from six months of age. If at six months the child is not yet able to stand on all fours, you need to wait to do the exercises until he learns to do this. The technique for crawling on all fours is the same as crawling on your stomach.
Rotation
It has a beneficial effect on the vestibular apparatus and the autonomic nervous system. Take the “Health” or “Grace” disk, place a folded diaper on it several times, place a basin on top - preferably a medium-sized metal one. Line the inside of the basin with a blanket and diapers so that the baby can recline in it, like an astronaut in his chair. Smoothly, without jolts, rotate the basin clockwise for 30 seconds. When you stop, look into the child’s eyes: his eyeballs oscillate in the horizontal direction. Don't be alarmed - this is nystagmus, a normal physiological phenomenon that occurs in anyone who looks from a moving cabin at a stationary surrounding. Wait until the nystagmus disappears and rotate the basin in the opposite direction for another half a minute. In the future, gradually increase the rotation time to 5 minutes.
AGE PURPOSE OF GYMNASTIC EXERCISES AND MASSAGE FOR CHILDREN from 1.5 months to 3 years (according to K. D. Gubert and M. G. Ryss)
| № | Purpose | Age | Indications, physiological justifications and targets | Contraindications |
| 1. | Hand massage | 1.5-4 months. | In connection with hypertension of the extremities to promote timely balancing of antagonists | Inflammation and irritation of the skin. |
| 2. | Foot massage | 1.5-6 months. | Same | Same |
| 3. | Laying on the stomach | 1.5-4 months. | For the development of back muscles | Lack of protective reflex. |
| 4. | Back massage | 1.5 - 14 months. | To strengthen and prepare the back muscles for exercise | |
| 5. | Abdominal massage | Same | To strengthen the abdominal muscles and relieve gas from the intestines | Same |
| 6. | Foot massage | 1.5 months -6 months | To strengthen the muscles and ligaments of the foot and develop support function | Same |
| 7. | Exercises for the feet (reflex movements) | Same | To stimulate active foot movements using the plantar reflex | Same |
| 8. | Spinal extension in the lateral position (reflex) | 1.5-3 months. | To strengthen the back muscles using the spinal talent reflex | Same |
| 9. | Reflex crawling | 1.5-3 months. | To strengthen the extensors of the lower extremities in order to balance antagonists. Using the Bauer crawling phenomenon | Disappearance of the Bauer phenomenon |
| 10. | Embracing movement | 3-10 months | In the absence of hypertension of the muscles of the upper extremities, to strengthen the muscles of the shoulder girdle | Hypertension of the upper limb flexor muscles |
| 11. | Turn from back to stomach with hand support | 3-6 months | Developing the skill of changing body position using the reflex of the location of body parts | Child's passivity, head tilt |
| 12. | Tilt of the head back in a hanging position on the stomach | 3-4 months | To strengthen the back muscles in cultivating the balance reflex using the position reflex | Passivity of the child, hanging head |
| 13. | Vibration chest massage | 3-10 months | To stimulate deep inhalation | Skin inflammation and irritation |
| 14. | Arm flexion and extension | Same | In the absence of hypertension of the muscles of the upper extremities, to strengthen the muscles of the arms and shoulder girdle | Hypertension of the upper limb flexor muscles |
| 15. | "Sliding Steps" | 4-14 months | In the absence of hypertension of the muscles of the lower extremities, to develop support function | |
| 16. | “Hovering” in a prone position | 4-6 months | To develop the balance reflex, instead of exercise No. 1 1 (as a calmer one) | Child's passivity |
| 17. | Raising the upper parts of the body from a position on the back with arms extended to the sides | Same | Developing the skill of changing body position, using the emergence of the child’s movement in this direction | |
| 18. | Flexion and extension of legs together and alternately | 4-10 months | In the absence of hypertension of the muscles of the lower extremities, to strengthen the muscles of the legs and develop walking skills | Hypertension of the lower extremity flexors |
| 19. | "Hovering" in a supine position | 4-6 months | To strengthen the abdominal muscles and develop the balance reflex using the position reflex | |
| 20. | Turn from back to stomach while holding legs | 6 -10 months | Instead of exercise No. 1 1 (as more complex) | Passivity of the child, throwing back the head |
| 21. | Exercise to encourage crawling | 6 months - before mastering crawling | In the absence of hypertension of the muscles of the lower extremities, to develop skills in moving the body | Impaired muscle tone of the lower extremities (hypertonicity) |
| 22. | Sitting down with support from both arms out to the sides | 6 -10 months | Instead of exercise No. 17 after preliminary strengthening of the cervical muscles and abdominal muscles with other exercises (No. 11 and 19) | Passivity of the child, throwing his head back |
| 23. | Circular movements with hands | 6-14 months | In the absence of hypertension of the muscles of the upper extremities and mastering exercises No. 10 and 14 to strengthen the muscles of the shoulder girdle | Upper limb flexor hypertension |
| 24. | Raising straight legs | 6 -10 months | In the absence of hypertension of the muscles of the lower extremities, to strengthen the abdominal muscles | Hypertension of the lower extremity flexors |
| 25. | Tense arching | Same | With normal muscle tone to develop coordination in the work of the flexors and extensors of the spine | Violation of muscle tone, as well as the child’s passivity, throwing the head back |
| 26. | Raising the body from a position on the stomach with the support of the child by the hands | Same | To strengthen the back muscles and develop the skill of changing body position from horizontal to vertical | Passivity of the child if the head lags behind the movement of the hands |
| 27. | Squatting (exercise for arm flexors) | 6-14 months | With the active participation of the child (presence of flexion in the elbow joint) | Passivity of the child when the arms remain straight when pulling up |
| 28. | Flexion and extension while sitting or standing, with rings | 10-14 months | Instead of No. 14 after mastering sitting or standing without support | Lack of ability to sit or stand for a long time without support |
| 29. | Raising the body from a prone position to a vertical position with the support of the child by the arms (or with rings) | Same | If the child stands up on his own, clinging to objects, instead of exercise No. 26 | Lack of ability to stand up while clinging to a stationary object |
| 30. | Torso tilt and straightening | 10 -18 months | With the ability to stand without support, to strengthen the back muscles | Lack of ability to stand without support |
| 31. | Raising straight legs to the stick (according to verbal instructions) | Same | Instead of passive exercise No. 24 | Same |
| 32. | Squat while holding a child's hands (with rings) | 10-14 months | If you have the ability to stand without support, to strengthen the muscles of the lower extremities | Same |
| 33. | Sitting down with support from one hand or independently with fixation of the lower limbs and returning to the starting position | 10-18 months | Instead of exercise No. 22 as a further complication * | Child's passivity |
| 34. | Stressful arching from a sitting position on mother's lap | 10 months -3 years | Instead of exercise No. 25, because the child is too heavy | |
| 35. | Flexion and extension of arms while standing, in pairs | 14-18 months | Instead of exercise No. 28, to develop the ability to coordinate your movements with the movements of a friend | |
| 36. | Tense bending of the spine from a position on the stomach (with a stick) | 14 months -3 years | To strengthen the shoulder girdle and interscapular muscles and improve posture |
Poor ecology and a sedentary lifestyle of the mother during pregnancy affect the child’s immune system.
Of course, it is more convenient to stuff your baby with pills at the first illness, but you can learn the basics of massage for a child and strengthen the child’s body from birth.
Massaging a child: why?
There are 2 types of massage for children - strengthening and healing.
For diseases such as inguinal or umbilical hernia, rickets, dysplasia or torticollis, hip dislocation, it is better to entrust treatment to specialists.
Any parent, most often the mother, can help strengthen the body of a healthy child.
With regular intensive exposure, there is a rush of blood to the massaged area, due to this, the functioning of not only blood circulation and digestion, but also the entire cardiovascular system improves.
The respiratory organs receive a flow of blood and oxygen, the lungs and bronchi are strengthened, and the child becomes more resistant to colds.
Regular massage of the child, exercises and hardening are the key to strong immunity.
Mechanical effects on the arms and legs contribute to the development of the child’s motor system, helping him to roll over onto his back earlier, start crawling and stand on his feet.
For various diseases, a skillfully performed massage will help a child get by with a minimum amount of medication and will contribute to a faster recovery.
How to massage a child: preparation and implementation
– To massage a child at home, a comfortable, flat surface is required, this can be an ordinary changing table, baby oil and warm parental hands.
– Massage for a baby can be done only when the child does not have a fever.
– During all the manipulations with the child, you need to constantly talk, tell him what you are going to do with him. It’s very good if the baby mistakes the massage for a game. A positive attitude is half the battle.
– The main massage techniques for a child will be:
Stroking;
Gentle rubbing;
Soft kneading;
Light vibration.
Until the baby is three months old, it is forbidden to touch the fontanel area. Massage is not done in the groin and axillary area, in the bends of the arms and legs.
How to massage a child: from birth to one year
At birth, many infants experience hypertonicity. Therefore, the purpose of massage for a child in the infant period is relaxation, healing and hardening.
1.5 – 3 months
At this age, the main massage techniques will be stroking and rubbing. The entire complex should not take more than 8 – 10 minutes.
We put the baby on his back, gently stroke his tummy, and talk to him affectionately.
– We start the relaxing massage with the hands. First, we gently stroke, and then lightly rub each finger, then the open palm, with the thumb and forefinger. The movements can be straight, circular or zigzag.
– Using the same scheme, we massage the legs and turn the baby over onto his tummy.
– We do a back massage by stroking, starting from the buttocks and ending with the shoulders. Movements should be soft and confident. We rub our back from the spine to the sides, work on the shoulder blades and gradually gently “slide” down. We perform this technique 2–3 times.
– Again, we help the child roll over onto his back and stroke his tummy in a circular motion around the navel, always clockwise, from the center to the periphery, and so on 2-3 times.
– After ironing, we move on to reflex crawling. We simply bend the legs and imitate crawling 3–4 times with each leg.
– Let’s return to the baby’s feet. By stretching a small leg, we automatically act on reflex points associated with the entire body. If at some point the child becomes nervous or starts crying, it means he is in pain. Pain may indicate a disease in the organ corresponding to this point.
Let’s roughly divide the baby’s foot into 4 transverse, equal parts and number them:
Fingers, from the little finger to the thumb, will be number 1. This area is responsible for the nose and throat.
The area under the thumb will be No. 2; when pressing on it, you can apply pressure to the head and teeth.
The lower section No. 6 is connected to the pelvic part of the baby’s body.
Above it is area No. 5, through which you can determine the condition in the lower part of the tummy, that is, in the intestines.
Place No. 4 is responsible for the stomach and upper abdomen, in the middle of which, when moving to the next, uppermost zone on the foot, there is a small, very important area No. 3, responsible for solar weaving.
Active points
At the end of all the techniques, pet the baby.
3 – 5 months
During this period, the child consciously reacts to the voice, tries to roll over, grabs outstretched fingers and tries to sit up. When massaging children at this age, we focus on strengthening the muscles of the arms and legs, and also do not forget about the back, tummy and chest. The entire massage can take 10 – 12 minutes.
– We work on the fingers and arms along the entire length by ironing and lightly rubbing 4 – 5 times.
– When massaging the legs, we start with stroking, then gentle rubbing, kneading the entire surface of the legs from bottom to top.
– We help the child roll over onto his tummy, while we comment on each movement while playing with the baby.
– On the back we perform a full range of techniques, vibration using a finger “shower”, simulating light raindrops. We perform all movements from the bottom up, from the spine to the sides.
– Again we help the child roll over onto his back and stroke the tummy clockwise.
– We stroke the chest, rub it lightly and gently tap with our fingertips.
– Rub the soles of your feet, knead them and lightly pat them.
At this age, the child is already quite active, so passive movements can also be included in the massage.
We finish the tummy massage with the “bicycle” movement, and after working on the chest, you can do “hugs”, taking the child by the hands, we do an exercise of hugging oneself.
We remember that if there is any dissatisfaction on the part of the baby, we stop the massage.
5 - 6 months
A six-month-old baby responds well to speech, understands voice intonation, and tries to sit. Many babies roll over on their own from their back to their stomach.
Massage for a child along with passive movements can last up to 15 minutes.
– We begin the hand massage with stroking, then proceed to rubbing with both open palms and folded into a ring - one hand clasps the handle from the inside, the other from the outside. We gently work out the muscles of the arms, including tong-like kneading, when we grab the handle with our thumb and forefinger and move it from bottom to top.
– When working with legs, we use all techniques 2–3 times.
– We help the child roll over onto his stomach, and massage the back by stroking and rubbing, turning on kneading and vibration.
– We return the baby to the position on his back, massage the abdomen, stroke the chest, work on the chest with stroking, rubbing, kneading and vibration with a finger “shower”, increasing the number of each technique up to 3-4 times.
The final stage of the massage
Vibration helps improve blood circulation in the lungs, which increases resistance to colds.
We add “boxing” and stimulation of lifting to passive movements, holding the baby by the arms.
6 – 12 months
In the second half of the year, massage for the child alternates with gymnastics. Many children are already trying not only to sit and stand, but also to walk. We accompany all actions with a verbal explanation of our actions and a score. The duration of massage and exercise increases to 20 minutes.
– Hand massage can be done in either a lying or sitting position. After the worked out techniques, we do bending and straightening of the arms 3 – 4 times.
– We put the baby on his back, make a “bicycle” and help the baby roll over onto his stomach.
– We work the back with all the techniques, we can diversify the vibration with a light pat.
– We lift the baby onto his legs, hold them and help the child bend forward and backward 2–3 times.
– We put the child on his back and massage the abdomen, after which we help the baby raise his legs, first one, then the other, both legs together, and finish with a “bicycle.”
– We work with the chest, stroking it, rubbing it in a circular motion and kneading it with forceps, ending with vibration from the center to the armpits.
It is important to remember that when massaging the chest, the area of the mammary glands is not affected; vibration is prohibited in the area of the heart.
– You can complete the healing procedure by squatting with your hands supported.
Massage for a child at any age will benefit from regular massage. It is recommended to do the procedures every other day, 10 – 12 times; the course can be repeated after 3 months.
For weakened children, massage is prescribed after 2 days, reducing the number of repetitions of the techniques by half.
How to massage a child with pneumonia and bronchitis
In parallel with drug treatment prescribed by a doctor, massage for inflammation of the lungs and bronchi will become a catalyst for recovery. It is important to know that massage is prohibited at high temperatures.
Mechanical action on the area of the bronchi and lungs helps to thin and discharge sputum, reducing the intensity of cough.
Do not be alarmed if, during the massage or immediately after it, the child begins to cough more, this is normal, it means that the mucus has begun to flow intensively.
Massage for a child with inflammation of the respiratory system consists of working on the thoracic region both from the back and from the front, however, it can be done for children older than 6 months.
For children under 12 months of age, we only do stroking and rubbing; for children up to one year of age, we include kneading and light patting.
For older children, we perform all types of massage techniques, from bottom to top, from the spine to the armpits, dispersing the lymph from the center to the periphery:
We do stroking with an open palm, with straight, circular movements, 5 – 6 times;
The rubbing will be more intense with four fingers or the back of the hand;
We knead using pressing circular movements of the index and middle fingers of both hands, or all four fingers with emphasis on the thumb;
The intensity of the vibration depends on age; for children, it is enough to give them a finger “shower”; for older children, you can lightly clap and even beat the back without affecting the heart area.
Massage for a child with pneumonia and bronchitis lasts 13 – 20 minutes, preferably done every other day, course – 12 procedures.
We do cupping massage at home
Using a silicone massage jar will bring pleasure to the child and enhance the kneading process. The cup acts like a suction cup, stimulating blood flow.
This massage is available to every novice massage therapist. Apply warming oil to the baby's back to make the jar slide better, squeeze its edges and press it to the body, release the edges. Due to the vacuum effect, the skin will be drawn into the middle of the jar. Now calmly move the jar along the child’s back from bottom to top, drawing figure eights or spruce branches. Work one side first, then the other. You can use two jars, with the help of which the entire back is heated simultaneously on both sides.
Every parent can help their child become stronger, develop faster, more confident, feel protected, and therefore be emotionally healthy.
Give your child a massage and enjoy communicating with him!
Which is so popular in the modern world, it is used as an effective means of preventing and treating many diseases. But if the pediatrician has not prescribed a massage course for your baby, do not rush to find a massage therapist and carry out the procedures yourself. After all, not every baby needs therapeutic massage; certain medical indications are required to prescribe it.
What is massage?
- This is a complex manual effect on the skin and musculoskeletal system - bones, joints and muscles.
Any kind massage for baby improves blood supply and nutrition to the skin, as well as organs and tissues, stimulates metabolism. Through massage procedures, you can also influence the neuropsychic development of the baby, since during the session a huge number of nerve impulses are sent to the nervous system, which contributes to its optimal development. The beneficial effects of massage on the baby’s body are manifested by improved appetite and normalization of the gastrointestinal tract. Depending on the massage technique, it can be used to normalize muscle tone, correct osteoarticular deformities or dysfunction of the musculoskeletal system.
When do children get massages?
Baby massage There are two types - health-improving and therapeutic.
Wellness massage carried out with the aim of maintaining child health, its purpose is the same as that of gymnastics and physical education lessons taught to older children.
Massotherapy is prescribed to eliminate existing defects.
Distinguish general therapeutic massage(during the procedure the whole body is affected) and local therapeutic massage(the impact is made on a specific area). As a powerful therapeutic agent, massage is prescribed to a baby for the following conditions:
- Perinatal pathology of the nervous system (impaired function and maturation of the nervous system as a result of birth trauma, severe pregnancy or the postpartum period and other reasons). A frequent manifestation of this disease is impaired muscle tone and delayed motor development.
- Delayed motor development.
- Hypotrophy (lack of body weight).
- Flat-valgus placement of the feet.
- Curvature of the legs - valgus (X-shaped) or varus (O-shaped) deformity of the legs.
- Hip dysplasia and congenital hip dislocation are conditions associated with underdevelopment of the hip joints.
- Congenital muscular torticollis.
- Congenital clubfoot.
- Rickets is a disease in which there is a disturbance in the metabolism of calcium and phosphorus, and a deficiency of vitamin D. Lack of treatment leads to impaired bone formation and delayed motor development.
Let us note once again that everyone, without exception, is healthy therapeutic massage for children no need to do it. Despite all its advantages, it is an additional stressful non-physiological effect. If the child is healthy, there is no need to speed up the psychomotor development of the baby, increase blood supply to organs and tissues, or influence normal muscle tone.
In order for a child to grow and develop normally, it is enough to spend daily wellness children's massage, age-appropriate, mom can do this herself. Wellness massage, in contrast to therapeutic massage, is of a general nature, that is, it has a uniform effect on the entire body; during this procedure, physiological movements are performed for a given age.
When you can't do a massage
Like medications, massage has a fairly wide list of contraindications. Therefore, appoint baby massage, even for preventive purposes, should only be done by a doctor who individually evaluates the entire range of indications and contraindications for the course.
Massage is not performed for the following diseases:
- All conditions accompanied by a rise in temperature (colds, purulent-inflammatory diseases). Massage will further raise the temperature.
- Any disease in the acute stage, including allergic ones. Massage is an additional stressful effect that is undesirable during an exacerbation of any disease.
- Severe diseases of the liver and kidneys, accompanied by dysfunction of these organs (for example, inflammation of the kidneys - nephritis, inflammation of the liver - hepatitis). For these diseases, the most gentle regimen is prescribed, so massage courses are not conducted.
- Severe congenital heart defects with insufficient blood supply, which is manifested by shortness of breath, swelling, cough. Massage procedures are an additional burden on the heart, so massage in a child with severe heart disease can cause a significant deterioration in the condition.
- Large hernias, when internal organs (umbilical, inguinal, etc.) fall into the hernial protrusion with the risk of strangulation. Massage can cause strangulation of the hernia, which will cause severe pain and require immediate surgical intervention.
- Rickets during the height of the disease. At this stage of the disease, children are especially restless and excitable; massage as an additional stressful effect is undesirable, since a gentle regime is recommended.
- Severe malnutrition (severe weight deficiency). Massage is not performed due to poor development of muscles, subcutaneous fat and, as a rule, the severe general condition of the child.
- Diseases of the musculoskeletal system, manifested by increased fragility of bones. Massage in this case can cause bone fractures.
- Active form of tuberculosis. This disease is severe, affecting the general condition of the child; massage is not advisable due to the need for the most gentle regimen.
- Bleeding. Massage can cause bleeding.
Temporarily interrupt the started course baby massage follows:
- In case of illness, even if it is a cold.
- After vaccination (the massage course should be interrupted for 3 days). Massage is not recommended due to the need for a gentle regimen in the post-vaccination period.
- On the days the baby receives physical therapy. Carrying out these procedures in one day is unnecessary stress for the baby, this can cause increased anxiety and sleep disturbances.
Principles of conducting massage for babies
- There is only one massage session per day.
- The younger the baby, the more gentle the regimes baby massage apply.
- The genitals, the anterior surface of the lower leg (due to the special thinness of the skin in this area and the proximity of the bone), the liver area (right hypochondrium) are not massaged; also, due to the risk of injury, pushing effects on the knee joints are limited; when patting the back, the area is not involved kidney (lower back). Limitation of exposure to the liver and kidneys is due to the fact that these organs are located quite close to the surface of the body; direct exposure can damage them.
- Massage for a child should be carried out in comfortable temperature conditions (22–24 degrees C), in a well-ventilated area on a hard, warm and level surface.
- The baby should be in a good mood. It should be borne in mind that the child may react to the first procedures with negative emotions. His crying is the most important signal to stop the massage. In this case, the procedure must be suspended, wait until the baby is in an even mood and continue the procedure in a more gentle manner, gradually increasing the volume of necessary manipulations.
- Should not be carried out baby massage immediately after or before eating or sleeping. The interval between the massage and the time of sleep or eating should be at least 30–40 minutes.
- The hands of the one who conducts baby massage, should be warm and clean, nails should be neatly trimmed.
- It is not recommended to use powders or creams. Children's skin is very sensitive, powders can cause excessive dryness. The cream increases slippage on the skin, which can lead to incorrect massage techniques. In some cases (for example, if the massage therapist’s hands or the baby’s skin is very dry), specialized baby massage oil.
- Course duration baby massage can be different and usually ranges from 10 to 15 procedures per course; from 1 to 3 courses can be prescribed with a 2-3 week break between them.
- Abort a started course baby massage without certain contraindications it is undesirable. It should be understood that you should not expect an immediate effect from the first procedures; the positive impact of the massage can be fully assessed only after the full course.
Children's massage therapist
If the pediatrician prescribed massage course for a child, but the mother does not want to visit the clinic every day and prefers a private massage therapist, she should carefully consider the choice of a specialist. This must be a medical professional (with a medical, nursing or paramedic education), specially trained in the field of children's massage, with some experience in this field.
Mom gives a massage
For children under 1 year there are 5 complexes wellness massage. Mom should learn how to do them. This massage is recommended for all healthy children in the absence of the above-mentioned contraindications. Usually, these complexes are taught to the mother by a nurse in the healthy child’s office at the clinic, in advance with the pediatrician.
Parents can find these 5 standard complexes in any manual. baby massage or child care. They correspond to the baby's age:
- massage for children 1 – 3 months;
- massage for children 3 – 4 months;
- massage for children 4 – 6 months;
- massage for children 6 – 9 months;
- massage for children 9 – 12 months.
First view baby massage– the most gentle, gradually, as the baby develops, the range of movements increases. For example, lifting the torso from a prone position is performed only in the fourth complex, when the baby begins to sit up; including such a movement in the first complex would be unphysiological. Thus, the complexes are fully adapted and coordinated with the development of the baby.
A specialist doctor or yourself children's massage therapist if necessary, he can teach the mother certain elements of specialized massage. For example, with hip dysplasia - a fairly common pathology associated with underdevelopment of the hip joints and manifested by difficulty abducting the hips in a supine position - some specialized massage exercises simply need to be mastered by the mother, since this set of exercises for the correct formation of the hip joint must be repeated every swaddling the baby.