The effect of pediatric massage on young children's cognitive and behavioral well-beings

5^th International Conference and Exhibition on Natural & Alternative Medicine

September 05-07, 2016 Beijing, China

Zhang Jian Guo

The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: Altern Integr Med

Abstract :

According to traditional Chinese medicine, one's cognitive well-being can be promoted when kidney, liver, and heart are functioning properly. Chinese massage therapy is known to enhance the function of heart, liver, and kidney, and improve the flow of q�¬ and xu�¨ and maintain the balance of y�«ny�¡ng, which can then improve oneâ��s physical and psychological health. However, very little is known of whether pediatric massage can promote young childrenâ��s cognitive and behavioral well-being. The present study examined the effects of pediatric massage on enhancing cognitive and behavioral skills of typically-developing children. Thirty-three 3- to 6-year-old children from the same kindergarten participated and each received a three-month pediatric massage, with two sessions per week and twenty minutes per session. We administered tasks to assess their cognitive skills including memory (both verbal and nonverbal), reasoning abilities, attention, inhibition abilities, and behavioral and sleeping problems before (i.e., pretest) and immediately after (i.e., posttest) the pediatric massage. Their performance was compared to the control group, which had twenty age-matched children in the same kindergarten and did not receive any pediatric massage. Socio-economic status, amount of extra-curricular activities, and number of critical events were controlled. Results found that pediatric group performed significantly better than control group in nonverbal memory, reasoning, attention, and inhibition in the posttests. Pediatric group was also found to have fewer aggressive behaviors and better sleeping patterns than control group. Overall, pediatric massage is effective in bringing positive changes in young childrenâ��s cognitive and behavioral well-being.

Biography :

Email: jgzhang@cuhk.edu.hk