How Massage Therapy Can Help Those With Developmental Disabilities

A few years ago I was approached by a colleague to see if I would be interested in supervising the Massage Therapy students at Algonquin College.  Although I was a little worried at first, I decided to challenge myself to something new.  I went though the training provided by the college and began supervising and it was something that I actually enjoyed - seeing the students learn and grow to be amazing massage therapists.  It became very rewarding.  I was placed in a few different settings before I landed on the Developmentally Challenged Children outreach.  I remember when I was training and being absolutely terrified of doing harm to the clients as there was a significant communication barrier.  I took my personal experience and have been helping the students that I see to realize that this population isn't as daunting as it may seem at first.  And with the new school year, I thought this would be a great time to discuss this topic!

What is a developmental disability?

Developmental disabilities are a group of conditions that cause impairments to physical, learning, language and/or behaviour.  Usually beginning during the developmental stage, these conditions may last the persons lifetime and can have mild to severe affects on the daily living.  There are numerous conditions, so for simplicity I won't go into detail about specific conditions but more of a general overview as the information can be very overwhelming.  Some of the more common conditions are:

• Cerebral Palsy

• Epilepsy

• Autism

• ADHD

The signs and symptoms vary depending on the part of the brain and/or nervous system that is affected.  So it may be rare that two cases would be exactly the same.   With this population, one important thing to keep in mind (and I bring this up with my students a lot) is that because these conditions are genetic, massage treatments are focused around improving quality of life instead of finding and treating the source of the symptoms.  Massage Therapy can have some amazing affects on clients with developmental disabilities:

Soft Tissue

• Muscle Spasms: muscle spasms build tension which can cause pain in the body.  By loosening up muscles that spasm the client will most likely be more comfortable.

• Improving Range Of Motion: after the muscle tissues are released, the joint will be able to move more freely.

• Connective Tissue Restrictions/Scar Tissue: when a joint is held in a position for a prolonged period of time or after surgery (which is very common with this population), there will be some sort of restriction in the tissues.  Affectively treating them will help improve range and comfort.

• Seizure: the muscles may be fatigued and tight after a seizure. The body will learn to adapt and after a number of them will keep the muscles turned "on" or stiff.  A massage can help loosen the muscles.  After a seizure, a massage can help soothe the client once they can safely receive a treatment.

• Posture: there may be muscular imbalances in the spine or legs with certain conditions.  Usually treated with braces or surgery, massage therapy can help release stiff muscles and bring awareness to weak areas. 

Body Systems:

• Digestive: with impaired digestion, constipation and bloating my be uncomfortable, so a treatment targeted at aiding at promoting colon movements can help.

• Respiratory: if the lungs are affected by the disability, breathing may be difficult to properly inflate the lungs.  Like when you are sick/coughing, the accessory breathing muscles of the chest, shoulders and back activate and become tense.  

• Mood: if you are in chronic pain and cannot properly communicate your needs, it can be very frustrating and stressful.  A relaxing massage with therapeutic touch can help stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system and calm the body and mind.

If you or someone you know has a developmental disability there are plenty of resources that can help.  The key is finding the right one that suits.

As always, if you have any questions, comments or concerns please do not hesitate to ask!

Thank you for taking the time to read this post and I hope you have a great day!

References:

Developmental Disabilities. (2018, April 17). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/developmentaldisabilities/facts.html

Preparing To Work With Developmentally Challenged Children. (n.d.). Lecture.