ADHD
Calming a Learning Disorder with Massage Therapy
ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) affects 3 to 5 percent of children in the United States. This learning disorder is the most common psychiatric diagnostic label given to children. About 2 million children in the US have been diagnosed with this learning disorder. Massage therapy can help calm the mind and ease the effects of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.
Symptoms
People with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder have difficulty maintaining attention or focus on activities. They are overactive for their age and tend towards impulsive behaviors. Children who display these symptoms to an extreme in school are easily noticed. Some children with this disorder are more passive. They daydream a lot and have difficulty paying attention, but don't display the typical hyperactivity associated with the disorder.
All children fidget and daydream. These are normal behaviors for children. When the fidgeting and daydreaming are extreme and interfer with forming friendships with other children and school and home behavior they become a problem. Children with this disorder have difficulty finishing tasks like chores or homework.
Many children with this disorder also have severe mood swings, learning disabilities, and anxiety disorders. They are more likely to display anti-social behaviors as they get older and are more likely to have substance abuse problems.
Because the symptoms can be difficult to pinpoint you should get a diagnosis from a proffesional and not try to diagnose the disorder yourself.
Medical Treatment
Ritalin is usually prescribed to children with this disorder. In 75 percent of cases it eases the symptoms of ADHD.
Ritalin stimulatese the area of the brain that is used to pay attention. It also increases dopamine levels in the brain.
As of yet, there have been no long-term studies of the effects of Ritalin. There can be some side effects from taking the drug including:
sleepiness
rapid heart beat
headaches
nervousness
The side-effects if you overdose on Ritalin are:
hallucinations
seizures
high blood pressure
irregular heart beat
psychosis
agitation
Massage and ADHD
Massage therapy has a calming effect that is great for people with this disorder. People with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder have an imbalace with their parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems.
The sympathetic nervous symptom is responsible for the flight or fight response and the parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for relaxation. Massage triggers the parasypathetic nervous system. That's what makes massage so relaxing.
The Touch Institute at the University of Miami did a study on massage and ADHD. They studied children between the ages of 7 and 17. The group that recieved massage twice a week for 20 minutes showed an increase in mood regulation and improved long-term classroom behavior.
Gentle, relaxing massages are calming and best for children with this disorder. Swedish massage, CranioSacral therapy, watsu, Esalen massage and lomi lomi would all be aproppriate.
Children have a hard time staying still so it's best to schedule shorter massages, 20 to 30 minutes. Between professional sessions you can massage your child yourself. You can ask your masssage therapist to teach you some basic massage techniques to use or you can learn how to massage from this online course.
Massaging your child for a few minutes everyday or even just a few times a week will help improve his/her behavior. It will also help increase your emotional bond.
