Benefits of Therapy Are Secondary to Two Vital Components When Treating the Infant and Pediatric Population
Written By Michelle Gilbert, RMT, LDT, CPMT, CIMT, CIMI

When it comes to the health care of your infant and child these two vital components cannot be stressed enough in treating young people; specific pediatric training and receiving permission. With regard to specific pediatric training, our children’s bodies are still growing, developing and reacting to life in their own unique way versus an adult’s body. As a therapist with training geared to adult bodies, I recognized the need to fine tune my skills and learn the intricacies of the developing child in order to treat this population more effectively, safely and respectfully.
Before treatment starts, an initial intake involving a thorough interview with the parent and child is completed. As therapist, I then receive informed consent from both parent and child prior to commencing treatment. I cannot stress enough the importance of this process. They are individuals and should be treated as such no matter what age.
Infants communicate through various nonverbal cues and are fully capable to provide permission. This is done through eye contact, body language, movements and verbal sounds. It is incredibly important to honour these cues of the child, verbal and nonverbal, even if it means not providing treatment that day.
When children are respected and empowered in their own health care, benefits will not only be treatment specific but also contribute to the child’s mental and emotional well being and development. This provides what I like to call the ‘safe space base’ for future interactions this young individual should expect.
Once a relationship of trust has been established then treatment, following permission, can begin and so can the potential benefits of massage and lymph drainage therapy. With modified massage and lymph drainage techniques, the parasympathetic nervous “Rest and Digest” system is engaged, releasing hormones such as natural pain killers; endorphins, and “feel good hormones”; serotonin and oxytocin. All of which aide in decreasing pain, inducing relaxation, calming inflammation, boosting the immune system, and increasing nutrient absorption by stimulating the vagus nerve. It also assists in improving muscle and joint aches by helping the blood and lymph circulate more efficiently through removal of stagnate fluid, toxins and regeneration of tissues. With each infant and pediatric massage and/or lymph drainage session, I provide parent and child a self care plan transferrable for the home environment. This is to provide consistency between treatments and assist in helping build and maintain the child’s health and overall sense of
well being.

To book your child’s Massage and/or Lymph Drainage Therapy Session with our Infant/Pediatric Massage and Lymph Drainage Therapist, Michelle Gilbert, See below.
Michelle is available at both our north and south locations.