Reflexology For Children With ADHD
Reflexologists Help Kids With Behavior And Attention Disorders
Nov 7, 2008
Attention Deficit Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, ADD and ADHD respectively, are neurobehavioral disorders. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 4.4 million American youth are estimated to have the diagnosis of ADHD.
Signs of ADHD include hyperactivity and chronic inattention or short attention spans. Concentration is difficult for a child with ADHD and he is easily distracted. Reflexologists look at this opportunity to help a child relax and find peace in the moment.
Reflexology is a form of pressure point therapy that is applied to the feet, hands and/or ears that contain maps of the entire body. Young children receiving Reflexology may only sit for a few minutes; most pediatric sessions last up to a half hour depending on the age.
Reflexology For ADD And ADHD Case Studies
Recently the Lambeth Council in South London has decided to spend £90,000 on a Reflexology program for unruly children at school. These children are aged 13 and under and have been labeled as “badly behaved.” Reflexologists will be dispatched from the Bud Umbrella group, a registered charitable organization that offers onsite wellness services. Bud Umbrella’s website notes their interest in working with “vulnerable children and adults to improve their quality of life. We are interested in the psychological benefits of these therapies, how bodywork can help achieve emotional and mental stability.”
In Israel Shmuel Zaidel’s Institute of Human Ecology has been training Reflexology practitioners to work with children with ADHD. Zaidel teaches that the children find a calmness by having their feet worked on and actually view their sessions as a learning experience. Using what he calls “two-dimensional” geometric forms the Reflexologists will trace patterns on the child’s feet which the child then traces in the air or on his belly. These techniques draw the child into participating in the session while stimulating his mind.
A Yolanda Austin worked with ten children from first through seventh grade diagnosed with ADHD. Each child receive a total of ten Reflexology sessions over a five week period. Austin concluded a 40% improvement in sleeping patterns, a 60% improvement in self confidence and a 20% improvement in school work. Ms. Austin notes “In light of my small sample, it is hard to draw an effective conclusion. Most of children really enjoyed the attention and showed an improvement of self-confidence.”
Further Reading
Frequently Asked Questions About Reflexology
References:
- Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder – Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, accessed online November 7, 2008.
- Naughty schools kids to get foot massages, The Courier Mail, November 4, 2008, accessed online November 7, 2008.
- About Bud Umbrella, Bud Umbrella website, accessed online November 7, 2008.
- Coordinative Reflexology for Problems of Hyperactivity, Attention and Concentration, lecture by Shmuel Zaidel, International Council of Reflexologists, Amsterdam The Netherlands, author attended September 2005.
- ADHD Children and Reflexology by Yolanda Austin, The International Academy of Reflexology and Meridian Therapy Pty Ltd., accessed online November 7, 2008.
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