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Pediatric massage therapy: an overview for clinicians
Shay Beider1, Nicole E Mahrer, Jeffrey I Gold
1Integrative Touch for Kids, 8306 Wilshire Boulevard, #530, Beverly Hills, CA 90211, USA. shay@integrativetouch.org
Pediatric Clinics of North America
|December 7, 2007
Summary
Pediatric massage therapy shows promise for improving children's well-being, particularly in reducing anxiety. More research is needed to confirm its benefits across various health conditions.
Area of Science:
- Integrative medicine
- Pediatric healthcare
- Complementary therapies
Background:
- Pediatric massage therapy (MT) lacks extensive rigorous studies.
- Clinicians and researchers are exploring MT's potential for pediatric psychological and physiological benefits.
- Limited evidence exists for MT's efficacy in children with various health conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide an overview of pediatric MT.
- To review proven and promising effects of MT in pediatric clinical applications.
- To discuss contraindications, safety, service availability, and future research directions for pediatric MT.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive search of computerized databases was conducted.
- Included were prior reviews, primary case studies, and randomized controlled trials of infant and pediatric MT.
- The review synthesized findings on pediatric MT's effects and applications.
Main Results:
- Evidence for pediatric MT benefits varies across medical conditions.
- Anxiety reduction demonstrates the strongest effect in current findings.
- Pediatric MT shows potential for improving psychological and physiological states.
Conclusions:
- Pediatric MT offers potential benefits for children with diverse health conditions, notably in anxiety reduction.
- Further high-quality research with rigorous design and long-term follow-up is essential.
- Longitudinal studies are recommended to examine the sustained effects of pediatric MT.
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