Part 5 - Massage

 

Massage is a really effective way in helping the child/young person to come back to their body and feel more comfortable and relaxed. Try squeezing, rubbing or patting the child nice and slow perhaps starting with the shoulders, squeezing nice and gently, rubbing circles, moving down the arms, the forearms, wrists and hands. then move onto legs, only if comfortable for the child start at the upper legs, moving down to the knees, calves, shins, ankles and then feet. To make this a more mindful practice, try slowing it down so much that you squeeze each area with a deep inhale, and release with each deep exhale, and moving through the whole body with deep breath based squeezing techniques can slow your experience down as well as the child's and you can both become much more present and embodied in the process.

 

 

River Flute by Kevin MacLeod

Link httpsincompetech.filmmusic.iosong4713-river-flute

License httpcreativecommons.orglicensesby4.0

Part 5 - Massage

 

Reflexology & foot massage - if you can, remove shoes and socks from the child and work on the feet. In reflexology, the spine, organs, muscle groups and bone structure are all mapped out on the soles of the feet, so providing foot massage for children with or without special needs can be tremendously comforting and relaxing. Start with the right foot, squeezing the sole and top of the foot in between your fingers and thumbs, press and rub from the centre of the foot, moving the fingers and thumbs to the edges of the foot. Then press gently with your thumbs into the sole of the right foot, you can experiment with this to see what the child responds well to. You can flex and point the foot to and away from their body to ease any muscle tension. With the foot in your hand, pressing with your thumb up and down the sole of the foot, in the different areas, feeling the soft and head textures of the heal, and the sole of the foot. Then use both of your hands to hold onto the inside edge of the sole of the foot, and squeeze very gently, and then twist one hand in one direction and the other hand in the other direction, and then change both hands in the opposite way, this has the same effect as a spinal twist as the spine is mapped out in the foot. Then move to the toes. Wiggle the big toe and all 4 small toes back and forward together, then take the big toe in one direction and all 4 small toes in the opposite direction, and then work on the big toe and 2nd toe like scissors moving in opposite directions, big toe and 3rd toe scissors, big toe and 4th toe scissors, big toe and 5th toe scissors, you can also do 2nd and 3rd toe scissor effect, 3rd and 4th toe, 4th and 5th toe etc. and then all toes moving together in the same direction again. Repeat all these exercises on the left foot.

 

 

River Flute by Kevin MacLeod

Link httpsincompetech.filmmusic.iosong4713-river-flute

License httpcreativecommons.orglicensesby4.0