massage and cystic fibrosis

[Marko]

Hi, I was wondering if anyone has experience of massaging children with c.f.? I am about to begin regularly massaging a ten year old girl with c.f. who has been given permission by her medical team. She is a family member and is one of the reasons I did the massage course. I was thinking that i would not include massaging her stomach at least for the first few sessions, any thoughts on this? She is really looking forward to recieving a treatment and I am aware that this is a wonderful opportunity for me too. Is there anything in particular I should watch out for or any tips that people can share with me? I would really appreciate your thoughts on this.

 

[:) (: :( ):]

Hi doolin

Wouldn't it be better to discuss this with the medical team that has given permission for the girl to have massage?

...just a thought.


Good luck.

x

 

[nynbntrj]

Hi,
As there is permission from the doctors, they would have advised you to avoid certain areas if there was any concern.

At this stage, I would rather ask and rely on the client. A gentle massage of the stomach should be ok. I always ask children (and adults) to tell me if the pressure is comfortable or not.

In cystic fibrosis constipation, and increased intra–abdominal pressure due to coughing can be an issue - that is another reason not to avoid the stomach.

Having said that, there is the practical issue in CF and massaging the abdomen: clients often find it uncomfortable lying down on their back and start coughing - so I prefer the client in a 'sitting-up' position. I also find it helpful to work on the reflexology points of the digestive system and generally, and I massage the foot with a firm pressure - children find always relaxing.
A

 

[Daria Murri]

Hi, Penny and Andre7 thanks for the advice. I think your right Andre the team would have pointed out if there were any areas to avoid etc and they didnt. On reflection about the abdomen massage I think I will see how she feels about it herself as it will probably depend as to whether she is able to tolerate it. She is so looking forward to it and I want it to be a pleasant experience for her. Im sure it will be a real learning curve for both of us. She has picked wednesday for her first massage as she says this is always a bad day for her so I will let ye know how I get on.

 

[Raitlamies]

Hi, well I did the first massage last evening for my beautiful niece and am very pleased with how it went. I gave her a full body massage and she said she really enjoyed it all. Feedback today was that she had a "great sleep" and is "looking forward to the next one", Bless her.

 

[delive_rance]

Great news and thanks for sharing this.
Well done you both

A

 

[Laodhradyn]

Hi everyone just thought I would share some information I came across regarding Cystic Fibrosis and Massage. There doesnt seem to be too much research into Massage and CF but a recent study found it was benefical to both children and their parents. It was based on parents giving their child a 20 minute massage nightly as against parents who read to their child every night. The website is http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10361400
Also I have included another article I came across that people may find interesting. "As CF progresses, treatment intensifies and individuals often experience chest, head, back, limb, and abdominal pain (Ravilly, Robinson, Suresh, Wohl, & Berde, 1996). Pain may intensify as a result of musculoskeletal changes associated with postural shifting (intended to ease respiratory effort) and tissue irritation (from frequent coughing episodes). The musculature becomes dysfunctional over time as the individual develops compensatory breathing patterns, which includes overuse of accessory muscles. Pain restricts movement and may negatively affect the individual's ability to move secretions out of the respiratory tract; thereby contributing to recurring infections and disease progression.
Medical care that focuses on preventing and treating infection and improving nutrition may not adequately address pain issues related to structural changes. Massage therapy (MT) is a treatment that may be beneficial to youth with CF. MT is described as hands on manipulation of the soft tissue of the body by a trained therapist with the intention to produce physiological effects (State Medical Board of Ohio, 2004). Selected benefits of MT include pain relief, relaxation, improved pulmonary function, decreased anxiety, improved mood, and sleep (Field, 1995, 1998; Ireland & Olson, 2000)". I have included the website for anyone who may wish to read the whole article
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FSZ/is_4_31/ai_n17210639/
I hope this is useful. My niece had her second massage on wednesday and was more alert after it this week. She seems to be enjoying the experience and I get to spend lovely extra quality time with her.