Autism and Massage... Any advice

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Permalink Reply by Susan G. Salvo on April 8, 2010 at 6:38pm

Jennifer, I know its overkill, but here is the info about Autism from Mosby’s Pathology for Massage Therapists. I did not know your client's age. This info addresses a child with autism. Just modify it for your particular client.

Description – Autism is a syndrome of social withdrawal and obsessive behavior. These behaviors become apparent in the second or third year of life. There are five types of autism and symptoms range from mild and highly functional to severe. Asperger syndrome is the most common type and is a mild form of autism. The diagnosis of autism is on the rise; this is attributed to changes in its definition and as well as expansion of diagnosis criteria. It's estimated that 5 of every 1,000 children have autism. This condition is more common in males than females (4:1).
Etiology – The cause appears to be abnormal brain chemistry; the cause of the abnormality is unclear. There is an important genetic link as it tends to run in families.
Signs and Symptoms – The affected person fails to establish normal peer relationships and prefers to play alone. He or she may avoid eye contact as well as have an aversion to touching and cuddling. There is often delayed or absent verbal communication, an inability to initiate or sustain conversation, and words or phrases are repeated verbatim, but without the understanding of how to use them. The person may engage in repetitive motions (spinning, rocking), exhibit a compulsion for sameness, have a narrow interest range, and possess a superior memory of certain facts (US presidents, for example).
Treatment – There is no one single treatment for autism. An individualized program seems to be the best approach to help the person learn social skills as well as adaptive responses. These modalities include applied behavior analysis (ABA), speech-language therapy, as well as occupational and physical therapy. Sensory integration therapy may also be used.
Massage Considerations – Massage is appropriate for people with autism. The current technique is the use of firm gliding and compressive strokes applied with full hand contact. Sessions should be brief (10-15 minutes). If the child is showing any signs of intolerance, it is best to discontinue massage and try again another day. In most circumstances, it is best to teach the parents or caregivers how to massage the affected child. This will make massage more accessible and give the parents or caregivers another tool to communicate affection.


Also, be sure to ck out the following studies.

Field, T., Lasko, D., Mundy, P., Henteleff, T., Talpins, S., & Dowling, M. (1986). Autistic children's attentiveness and responsitivity improved after touch therapy. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 27, 329-334.

Escalona, A., Field, T., Singer-Strunck, R., Cullen, C., & Hartshorn, K. (2001). Brief report: improvements in the behavior of children with autism following massage therapy. Journal of Autism & Developmental Disorders, 31, 513-516.

Hartshorn, K., Olds, L., Field, T., Delage, J., Cullen, C. and Escalona, A. (2001) Creative movement therapy benefits children with autism. Early Child and Development and Care,166,1-5.

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Permalink Reply by Danielle Frey on April 8, 2010 at 9:48pm

look at upledger's book. THere is info about craniosacral work benefiting autism and case studies

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Permalink Reply by Jorge Arnaldo Pabón Acevedo on April 11, 2010 at 1:08pm

I love this information. I have a client with autism, his 7 years old, and is a wounderfull experience.

Susan G. Salvo said:

Jennifer, I know its overkill, but here is the info about Autism from Mosby’s Pathology for Massage Therapists. I did not know your client's age. This info addresses a child with autism. Just modify it for your particular client. Description – Autism is a syndrome of social withdrawal and obsessive behavior. These behaviors become apparent in the second or third year of life. There are five types of autism and symptoms range from mild and highly functional to severe. Asperger syndrome is the most common type and is a mild form of autism. The diagnosis of autism is on the rise; this is attributed to changes in its definition and as well as expansion of diagnosis criteria. It's estimated that 5 of every 1,000 children have autism. This condition is more common in males than females (4:1).
Etiology – The cause appears to be abnormal brain chemistry; the cause of the abnormality is unclear. There is an important genetic link as it tends to run in families.
Signs and Symptoms – The affected person fails to establish normal peer relationships and prefers to play alone. He or she may avoid eye contact as well as have an aversion to touching and cuddling. There is often delayed or absent verbal communication, an inability to initiate or sustain conversation, and words or phrases are repeated verbatim, but without the understanding of how to use them. The person may engage in repetitive motions (spinning, rocking), exhibit a compulsion for sameness, have a narrow interest range, and possess a superior memory of certain facts (US presidents, for example).
Treatment – There is no one single treatment for autism. An individualized program seems to be the best approach to help the person learn social skills as well as adaptive responses. These modalities include applied behavior analysis (ABA), speech-language therapy, as well as occupational and physical therapy. Sensory integration therapy may also be used.
Massage Considerations – Massage is appropriate for people with autism. The current technique is the use of firm gliding and compressive strokes applied with full hand contact. Sessions should be brief (10-15 minutes). If the child is showing any signs of intolerance, it is best to discontinue massage and try again another day. In most circumstances, it is best to teach the parents or caregivers how to massage the affected child. This will make massage more accessible and give the parents or caregivers another tool to communicate affection.


Also, be sure to ck out the following studies.

Field, T., Lasko, D., Mundy, P., Henteleff, T., Talpins, S., & Dowling, M. (1986). Autistic children's attentiveness and responsitivity improved after touch therapy. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 27, 329-334.

Escalona, A., Field, T., Singer-Strunck, R., Cullen, C., & Hartshorn, K. (2001). Brief report: improvements in the behavior of children with autism following massage therapy. Journal of Autism & Developmental Disorders, 31, 513-516.

Hartshorn, K., Olds, L., Field, T., Delage, J., Cullen, C. and Escalona, A. (2001) Creative movement therapy benefits children with autism. Early Child and Development and Care,166,1-5.

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Permalink Reply by Jennifer Shulte on April 12, 2010 at 10:50am

Thanks for all the helpful info. I appercaite it.

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