Children are so resilient - why should they need massage?
It's quite true that children are resilient and are able to recover from some injuries rather quickly. Their bodies are, frankly, younger and produce more elastin than an adult's body does. Their bodies need to mend properly in order to remain healthy, just like an adult's - it just mends faster!
The fact is that children are not little adults. They do not have fully developed immune systems and central nervous systems and, therefore, do not respond to external stimulus the way adults do.
Massage has many benefits from aiding in the recovery of injury to aiding the body's natural immune system in fighting off illness. Massage can be used as a preventative health care as well as an injury/issue specific health care.
Do you have to use oils and lotions?
No.
What is the difference between a Certified Pediatric Massage Therapist (CPMT)
and a Pediatric Massage Therapist?
A CPMT has taken specific coursework and testing to earn the title "certified" (see What is a CPMT). A Pediatric Massage Therapist is a therapist who works with children without the certification.
How can I find a Certified Pediatric Massage Therapist?
The Liddle Kidz TM Foundation can give you a list of CPMTs in your area.
Do I have to stay while you work on my son?
Yes. Parents or caregivers must be in the same room with the therapist and child during the massage session the entire time.
Will my child have to get undressed?
No. Personal comfort is very important. The degree of clothing worn is always to his or her comfort level. If a child is at all unclothed only the body part being worked on is exposed.
Can you tell me what's wrong with my daughter's knee (foot, back, shoulder, hip, leg, wrist...)?
A CPMT does not diagnose illness or injury or perform any therapeutic service outside of the realm of knowledge or abilities. CPMTs can share observation(s) with you, if you so desire. What you do with that information is entirely up to you.
Regarding notes:
Do you take notes? Generally, yes, notes are taken about a therapy session and reviewed before every session. However, the decision to take notes (a.k.a. chart notes) is up to the individual therapist and/or guidelines set by the office.
Can I read them?
That decision is up to the individual therapist. Personally, you are welcome to read my notes about your child.
Can somebody else read them?
CPMTs certified by the Liddle Kidz TM Foundation are trained to adhere to a very strict personal privacy policy. Personal privacy is maintained at all times. The only way a person other than yourself can read the notes about your child is if you give specific written permission to the therapist to do so.
What's the difference between working on a child and working on an adult?
A child's body may look like a small version of our own but their chemistry, physiology (how cells, tissues and organs function), and psychological levels are very different. A CPMT is specially trained to work with children.
My (daughter) is in the hospital. Can you still work with her?
As long as her medical team give the "ok" to work with her a CPMT can work with her.
Will you work with (my son's) Doctors?
Absolutely, a CPMT will work with his health care team. If the CPMT is part of the health care team then by it's nature, as a team, information is shared. If the massage therapy care is independent from the Doctors' care, as long as the CPMT has your written permission to share information with the specific physicians, they are welcome to read the chart notes and they can work together if the attending physicians are willing.