If your child has been injured, disabled, or diagnosed with a lifetime illness, research has proven that massage therapy can offer many benefits, including relaxation, relief, and improved health overall as well as specific benefits based on to your child's individual needs. Pediatric Massage is appropriate for children of any age.

In general, Pediatric Massage can provide many benefits for a child's overall well-being, particularly when injured or disabled because the massage techniques Eric practices and teaches help children learn new ways to relax and clear their thoughts, which results in reduced stress and anxiety as well as increased flexibility and circulation.

For a child who is injured, massage is a great complement to physical therapy in assisting them towards recovery. The right combination of massage techniques can result in: reduced muscular tension, contraction and stiffness; decreased minor aches and pains; increased range of motion to affected area; stimulated local circulation of blood and lymphatic fluid; decreased possibility of need for pain medication; and shortened recovery time.

For a child who is disabled, massage provides a variety of these same types of benefits. Many times children experience additional stresses related to limited ability children often feel in not being able to fully communicate, particularly when they have specific needs that may be difficult for parents to anticipate or understand. Such different stresses children encounter may be different from those adults with a similar disability, but the bodily response is similar in that it can lead to muscular tension that limits movement and increases pain as well as increased blood pressure. Massage can provide the many overall benefits that reduce physical and emotional stress that aides in faster recovery.

For a child afflicted by a lifelong or terminal illness—such as Cerebral Palsy, Autism, Cystic Fibrosis, Downs Syndrome, Spina Bifida, Muscular Dystrophy, Cancer, and so on—the caring touch of massage can improve their daily life with its many benefits.

During massage sessions, Eric encourages parents to be present, where he can also simultaneously teach parents how to provide massage to their own child. The duration of massage can range from 10-60 minutes. It does not require removal of any clothing. The massage "belongs" to the child and will proceed based upon professional approaches supporting the wishes of the child.

Massage for your child can provide these many benefits as well as being a wonderful experience they enjoy!

For more information or to schedule a consultation, contact Eric Thanem via phone (360) 440-3555 or e-mail at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.