Children learn by attending (listening). Children learn by repetition. Children learn better when all senses are involved: touching, smelling, seeing, hearing. Teaching parents to massage their children while talking, using rhymes, and jingles creates an activity rich in language and full of sensory stimulation. When a child looks at the face of the speaker speech and language learning is easier. The massage offers an ideal face to face communication time.

Simple Talking and Safe Touching

Infants can't understand the words you are saying. They learn to talk by the repetitions of these early conversations. Infants develop language through daily activities that are repeated. During these daily activities the same words and phrases are heard. Creating a daily routine of massage can provide an ideal time for connecting and communicating. When talking to your infant the area of the brain that is "wired" for language begins to create strong connections for language. Strong pathways are created for visual/auditory processing and for behavior and emotional development as well.

A child with delays needs more support in the development of attending and learning. The patterns of brain wiring may have "mis-firings" or poor connectors. Massage time can become a beautiful time for caregiver and infant/child, providing a multi-sensory experience positive for cognitive and emotional development. I have discovered that a child with a sensory deficit or short attention span focuses better when massaged. The child seems to receive more from the learning experience no matter how brief the massage. Massage is a modality for parents who want to strengthen bonding, provide a good foundation of learning, promote health, and have fun with their child.

Remember! Always ask permission to touch no matter what age. This is respect for the body and boundaries. By asking permission even to your infant you are teaching your child that his/her body is so special that even you ask before giving a massage.