Raising Bipolar

Guest Post by Dawn Allcot. When she’s not traveling the world in pursue of captivating stories, she can be founding writing on any number of topics such as massage therapy and helping students learn what they need to get massage therapy degrees.

Even the experts don’t yet fully understand the cause of bipolar disorder, but they have linked it to a chemical imbalance. In bipolar disorder – as well as other emotional disorders like anxiety, depression and ADHD – the neurotransmitters that regulate mood, focus, concentration levels, and sleep patterns are out of balance.

While certain medications have been shown to regulate these neurotransmitters and permit children and adults living with bipolar disorder to have normal, productive lives, there are also natural methods that can balance help neurotransmitters.

Benefits of Pediatric Massage as Natural Treatment for Bipolar Disorder

Tina Allen is founder and director of the LiddleKidz Foundation, an organization for pediatric and infant massage therapists. In her practice, she uses pediatric massage to treat children with all levels of physical and/or mental impairment, including kids with autism or bipolar disorder. LiddleKidz also provides certification programs for professionals and massage classes for parents.

Allen talks about how massage therapy works as a treatment for bipolar disorder in children: “Massage therapy may work as a method of treating bipolar disorder by promoting relaxation, creating body awareness and decreasing anxiety, which can assist in appropriate and restful sleep.”

This is important because sleep disturbance is common during the depressive cycle of bipolar disorder. “Massage therapy has been shown to decrease the length of time it takes to fall asleep as well as induce deeper and longer periods of sleep,” Allen says.

She adds, “Massage also appears to help relieve sensory defensiveness associated with bipolar disorder.” Allen says she has seen this occur in her patients. “There are times when you can see the benefit of touch immediately,” she explains. “By providing nurturing touch to children who often feel discarded and forgotten, you are telling them they matter and deserve to be loved.”

Documented Research About the Benefits of Massage Therapy

Allen says documented research shows that massage therapy may increase the production of Oxytocin, the body’s nurturing, “feel-good” hormone, while in turn decreasing levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. Oxytocin is the chemical released naturally in women during childbirth that eases the pain, as well as the chemical that promotes closeness and human bonding between couples and parents and their children. Cortisol, on the other hand, has been linked to weight gain and illness. Allen says, “Knowing that stress contributes to illness and disorders, massage may very well provide much needed relaxation and stress reduction.”

Massage has also been shown to increase and/or help balance the levels of norepinephrine, epinephrine, dopamine and serotonin in the brain — the same neurotransmitters that are imbalanced in individuals with bipolar disorder.

Learning Pediatric Massage

For parents who want to reach out to their children with pediatric massage, LiddleKidz offers massage courses for families, which cover infant massage, child massage, and development baby massage. “Massage therapists can’t provide therapy for the child everyday, so having parents learn some techniques will be helpful in encouraging this healthy bond between parent and child,” Allen says.

She adds, “Massage provided on a more frequent basis appears to provide quicker results… However, any massage they provide can have a cumulative effect and provide fantastic results.”

Pediatric Massage Courses for Professionals

Certified/licensed massage therapists, physical therapists, nurses or physicians can enhance their knowledge base and skill set with a Pediatric Massage Training course designed for health care professionals.

Allen is quick to emphasize that this is not a certification course, but  a continuing education course designed to help health professionals expand their practice. “Through this training,” she says, “participants learn to provide massage therapy for children with varied physical, developmental, and mental challenges during hands-on, in-class sessions.”

There are many opportunities for individuals looking for a change of career to become involved in the rewarding vocation of pediatric and infant massage. It may begin by earning your degree or certification in the medical field. Websites like MassageTherapyPrograms.net can help anyone take the first step to a new career in pediatric health care and massage therapy.

Dawn Allcot is a freelance writer who has produced content for a number of online university websites and frequently writes about parenting and baby products.