Speaking of massage, besides adults, there are also children who are used to getting massages. Your little one is one of them, Mom? Well, there is a massage technique for children called pediatric massage.

In Indonesia, pediatric massage has also been implemented. There was a mother named Fifi Lim who was pregnant and wanted to find the right massage for herself but she had difficulty. The problem was, Fifi was rejected because she was pregnant.

Because she was curious, Fifi found out why pregnant women were not allowed to get massages. In fact, when she went abroad, massage during pregnancy was actually allowed as long as the technique was correct. As we also know, Mom, massage that is not allowed for pregnant women is if it is done in the stomach area. But if the feet and hands are massaged, for example, it is okay.

“Yes, after giving birth, she finally learned and wanted to know about massage for pregnant women,” said Endah Wulansari, Director of Mom N Jo Spa, who was met on the sidelines of the 2016 Birthclub community children’s birthday in Djempolan, Cilandak, South Jakarta, Sunday (12/17/2017).

After studying in America and returning to Indonesia, Fifi then opened Mom n Jo Spa with one of its services being massage for pregnant women and children. The name Mom n Jo itself means Mom, which means mother, and Jo is taken from Fifi’s child’s name, Josephine.

After opening this special massage spa, Fifi also called a special massage trainer from America to train the masseurs. Every year the massage techniques are updated. Well, the special trainer that Fifi brought in was Marybetts Sinclair, a massage therapist who lives in Oregon, United States.

Marybetts has been a massage therapist for 42 years, Mom. She is also a former emergency medical technician. Marybetts has practiced massage in various fields, including chiropractic and physical therapy, health spas, private counseling offices, homeless shelters, children’s camps, nursing homes, adult foster homes, and even Alzheimer’s care units. So there’s no doubt about her expertise in the field of massage.

“So far, people only know that massage is for people to be healthy, when in fact there are many other benefits, especially for children,” said the woman who is familiarly called Wulan.

Pediatric massage, aka massage for children, is useful for reducing complaints in children if they are almost sick.

“At Mom N Jo, there are 12 pediatric massage techniques. There are some for coughs and colds, increasing immunity, even for children on exams so they don’t get stressed. It depends on the child’s needs,” said Wulan.

Pediatric massage is given according to the needs of the children, and can even be given to children with special needs such as Down syndrome, autism, and cerebral palsy. For example, a child with Down syndrome has complaints of difficulty defecating, well, pediatric massage is useful for reducing those complaints, Mom.

“Then, for example, if a child has symptoms of coughing or a cold, there must be an unpleasant feeling in the throat, well, that discomfort can be reduced with pediatric massage. In fact, some don’t get sick after that,” said Wulan.

But remember, Mom, this pediatric massage is only intended to help reduce and relieve children’s complaints, not cure them. So, if your child’s complaints don’t improve, it’s a good idea to immediately take your little one to see a doctor.

source: https://www.haibunda.com/parenting/20171218065343-60-12158/pediatric-massage-pijat-ringan-untuk-kurangi-keluhan-pada-anak