Massage gives a soothing effect to the body after a long and tiring days work. All love it and yield to its wonderful experience be it students, workers, officials or any other people from different walks of life. This wonderful healing human touch gives an excellent effect not only for normal individuals but also for autistic people. It may sound as a novel idea but it is true that it is effective in autistic children and adults and they also deserve to enjoy the best in life.
Autism in Detail
Autism is a neurological disorder which begins from infancy and persists till adulthood. The signs of autism become very prominent as the child lacks communicative and social skills. The child withdraws itself and do not like to hold close or hug even by the parents. They do not babble as any other normal child does that is a warning sign of autism. They are also many other peculiar behaviors which should alert the parents. Some people believe it as the result of the surroundings the child lives in but some do not. The reasons may vary but the parents should intervene in the early stages and start with regular modification therapies and treatment to curb the behavior of the child.
How Autism influence the Parent-child Relationship
The parents upset on diagnosing their child as autistic. They feel that they and their child do not deserve this. But nobody can change destiny. An autistic child lives in a world of his/her own. They do not have the normal feeling or gestures which a child does and so fail to communicate. Even if the parent wishes to hug the child they do not cooperate and do not like it. So there is a very poor parent-child relationship.
Research says although the autistic child wishes to get closer to his/her parents he cannot do so because of this/her poor response. Some autistic children also have sensory impairments and have reduced reaction to smell, touch, sound and sight. So they are unaware of their surroundings.
How Massage therapy helps in Autism
Many autistic children when given therapeutic massage responded well. Despite the fact that autistic children do not react well to touch the therapists found a positive response to this massage therapy. Massage therapy helps in creating a good parent-child bonding. But the problem is that all autistic children do not react in the same way.
The results are best when the parents learn the methods of massing and doing it themselves to their child. They know better about the mood and behavior of the child and so can massage the child accordingly. This massage helps them to modify the behavior and can also make them socially understanding. They also come out of the shell they are withdrawn into which can help in social interactivity.
Dealing with an autistic child may be irritating and challenging but with regular massage therapy one can bring an incredible change in the autistic child.