Massage Therapy for the Benefit of Treating Children with ADHD

ADHD stands for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. This condition, found in children and adolescents, affects their impulse control, over-activity and attention problems. When children and adolescents have ADHD, they normally go to their family pediatricians, physicians, child psychiatrists, psychologists and pediatric neurologists. Rarely are they told to seek holistic forms of therapy to manage their ADHD.

Massage therapy has been found effective in a most recent study. ADHD adolescents who took ten massage treatment classes for two weeks rated themselves as more content than those in comparison who participated in recreation therapy. Spectators rated the massage therapy effects as less squirmy, and teachers noticed more on-task behavior, when compared with the recreation therapy group.

One can also see the same effects on adolescent and child psychiatric inpatients diagnosed with modification and depressive disorders. The patient has been seen with considerably less depression and nervousness following the massage therapy. The massage groups urinary cortical and salivary levels were reduced.

Because children who have been clinically diagnosed with ADHD may not sit or lie down for long periods of time, it is suggested that massage therapy sessions be no longer than 20 minutes for a period of time until the child can receive longer massage sessions.

Benefits of regular massage for ADHD may encourage more restful sleep, help with anger control, improve mood, improve social functioning, and improve focus at school.