Therapeutic Massage And Bodywork For Autism Spectrum Disorders

Massage techniques are widely and effectively used in the treatment of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) to address sensory issues, motor problems and touch receptivity. However, the variety of different styles of massage available often leaves parents baffled and unsure about which touch therapy treatment is best for their child. This practical guide explains how massage works, how the body senses touch, and how touch therapy can benefit children with ASDs. It describes exactly what each type of massage entails. Covering anatomy-oriented massages, energy-based massages and therapeutic bodywork, this is the book that helps readers tell Reiki from reflexology, a Swedish from a sports massage, or tuina from a Thai massage. With recommendations for selecting the right style of massage, advice on locating a practitioner, and tips on preparing a child with an ASD for massage, this is the perfect resource to find a therapy – or combination of therapies – to suit each individual child. This book will be essential reading for all parents and caregivers interested in the benefits of therapeutic massage and bodywork for children and adolescents with ASDs, and practitioners looking at alternatives for therapeutic intervention.

Qigong massage has been used in China for thousands of years as a means to achieve health and wellbeing, and to treat a wide variety of ailments. This book teaches parents a simple qigong massage programme that has been developed specifically for the needs of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). With step-by-step instructions and an accompanying DVD demonstrating the technique in action, this book offers parents clear guidance on how to adopt qigong massage into their child's daily routine successfully. The program is based around a core 15 minute massage that, when performed regularly, has been shown to greatly improve mood and behavior, sleeping patterns, and language and social skills. Also included is information on diet, advice on reading a child's body language during massage, and helpful progress checklists. Qigong massage is the ideal therapy for parents looking for an alternative way to strengthen the mind, body and sensory abilities of their young child with autism aged 6 and under.

Tami's daughter, Heather, was diagnosed a month shy of her 13th birthday with High-Functioning Autism, Asperger's Syndrome. She watched her daughter spiral out of control medically and educationally until she found an occupational therapist who explained how Heather's Sensory ProcessingDisorder impacted the Autism. Together mother and daughter learned from this OT how a Sensory Diet, CranioSacral Therapy, and Bio-Medical Therapies can lead to Functioning Recovery. Tami navigated the public school environment and the medical community to get the right support for Heather, who succeeded in spite of the educational discrimination. Tami shares her recommendations for other parents as she tells the story of Heather's ComingThrough the Fog.

In CranioSacral Therapy: Touchstone for Natural Healing, John E. Upledger, DO, OMM, recounts his development of CranioSacral Therapy. He shares poignant case studies of restored health: a five-year-old autistic boy, a man with Erb’s palsy, a woman with a fifteen year history of severe headaches, and numerous others. And he offers simple CranioSacral Therapy techniques you can perform at home on yourself or loved ones.

In 1987, The Swedish Medical Research Council's Group for Evaluation of Medical Technology approached me on the subject of organizing a conference on Autism - Diagnosis and Treatment. The original idea for this conference had come from a Stockholm politician, Leni Bjorklund, who had felt that, at least in Sweden, autism appeared to be an area in which conflicting views on etiology and treatment had led to children and parents not always receiving adequate help. Professors Agne Larsson, MD, Tore Schersten, MD and Bjorn Smedby, MD in particular showed a keen interest and it was decided to hold a State-of-the-Art-Conference on autism in Gothenburg. The State-of-the-Art-Conference on Autism -Diagnosis and Treatment was held in Gothenburg May 8 -10, 1989. A panel of international experts was selected because of outstanding research or clinical activity in the field and in order to represent a wide variety of professional and theoretical approaches ranging from epidemiology, neurobiology and cognitive psychology to psychiatry, neurology, education, behavioural treatment and psychoanalysis. A group of professional observers involved in the field of autism was chosen so as to cover Sweden in a representative fashion. This group consisted of administrators, child psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, pediatricians, nurses and teachers.

This is a workbook for parents as they undertake their child's first year of QST massage. It is to be used in conjunction with the book/DVD package, Qigong Massage for Your Child with Autism. The heart of the workbook is a weekly parent journal for parents to record the massage, alternating with weekly letters to encourage, support, and empower parents to get the most out of the year for their child. It also contains the new information we have learned since publishing the first book. Look inside here. (IMPORTANT: This book does not include instructions on how to do the massage. Qigong Massage for Your Child with Autism book/DVD provides the information needed for you to learn the massage.)

Advocating for an increased emphasis on evidence-based practice, this book describes and analyses a wide range of available Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) assessment measures. The author offers guidance on how to evaluate services and programmes and how to recognise which will be most effective in different scenarios for people with differing needs. A wide range of measures are reviewed in detail, including assessments used in situations often ignored in overviews relevant to ASD, such as assessments of internet addiction, response to traumatic stress, and criminal offending risk and witness credibility. This book is an invaluable resource to professionals who support people with ASDs, including social workers and teachers, and who are under increasing pressure to reliably assess which services, programmes and therapies are effective and fit-for-purpose.

Success in massage therapy begins with a solid foundation in the fundamentals! Mosby’s Fundamentals of Therapeutic Massage, 7th Edition helps you build the skills you need, from assessing problems and planning treatment to mastering massage techniques and protocols. Hundreds of photographs demonstrate massage techniques step by step, and case studies bring concepts to life. ‘How-to’ videos on the Evolve companion website show manipulation techniques, body mechanics, positioning and draping, and more. If you want to prepare for licensing and certification exams and succeed in practice, this resource from massage therapy expert Sandy Fritz is your text of choice. Comprehensive coverage includes all of the fundamentals of therapeutic massage, including massage techniques, equipment and supplies, wellness, working with special populations, and business considerations; it also prepares you for success on licensing and certification exams. Step-by-step, full-color photographs demonstrate massage techniques and protocols by body area. Three hours of video on the Evolve website demonstrate techniques and body mechanics — each clip is narrated and performed by author Sandy Fritz — as well as review activities for licensing exams. Proficiency exercises provide opportunities to practice and apply what you are learning. Case studies offer practice with clinical reasoning and prepare you to address conditions commonly encountered in professional practice. Coverage of body mechanics helps you to create an ergonomically effective massage environment and to determine appropriate pressure, drag, and duration application while applying massage methods. Coverage of multiple charting methods helps you develop record-keeping and documentation skills, including SOAP and computer charting with simulation on Evolve. Learning features include chapter outlines, objectives, summaries, key terms, practical applications, activities and exercises, and workbook-type practice. Review tools include matching exercises, short answer questions, fill-in-the-blank questions, drawing exercises, and critical thinking questions, all available on Evolve. Research Literacy and Evidence-Based Practice chapter includes new research findings and explains how research is done, and how to read and understand it. Adaptive Massage chapter explains how to address the needs of specific populations, from pregnant women and infants to hospice patients and people with physical impairments. Massage Career Tracks and Practice Settings chapter covers massage therapy services offered at spas, and looks at the spa as a possible massage career. In-depth coverage of HIPAA shows how to store records in a HIPAA-compliant manner and explains HIPAA requirements and training. Foot in the Door boxes outline the professional skills expected by prospective employers. Updated Basic Pharmacology for the Massage Therapist appendix provides up-to-date information on common medications.