Compatible with iPhone
and iPod Touch
Baby Massage Basics
You might be wondering how applicable Baby Massage Basics can be with an autistic child. After all, autism is generally diagnosed around age 2, when your child is no longer a baby. But developmentally children with autism can often remain babies for months or years longer.
Many parents struggle to bond with their children with ASD. Autism is a disorder that is not well understood. But even if your child avoids affection you can still bond with him through massage when it's done correctly. I'm convinced of that. Why do I say that? Personal experience with my own son.
When I put on some calm music, darken the room, and prepare to massage my son, that's some of the most special time with him. He senses it. His demeanor changes. He willingly lays down on a towel and gets ready. And I gently but firmly roll the big inflatable therapy ball over his whole body. I don't do this very often, but when I do, he will lay there as long as I'll keep doing it. So I know massage is a wonderful tool.
The feeling of touch is so important. It can foster a nice healthy relationship between you and your autistic child. And studies have found that it is the first sense that develops in utero.
Baby Massage Basics is an app that was taken and adapted from a book titled Massaging Your Baby - The Joy of TouchTime written by Dr. Elaine Fogel Schneider. As such, this app contains lots of good reading. And it's written in a calm, loving manner that's easy to understand.
Baby Massage Basics does exactly what you'd expect it to do. It covers the basics of massaging your baby. But it doesn't stop there. This app also advises you on preparing the environment, making sure your child is ready, and making sure YOU are ready both physically and mentally. It helps you decide where and when to start massaging and when to stop. Songs can be soothing and relaxing and Baby Massage Basics even suggests some songs for you to sing while you massage your child.
Complete with cute, professional artwork Baby Massage Basics looks great on your iPhone or iPod Touch. An iPad version would be fantastic!
For those of us who don't have time for much reading it would be great if this app contained built-in video demonstrations of many of the different massages. Also, I think many people would love to be able to push a button and have a long page read audibly to them while it scrolls down accordingly. I could see those features making this app especially valuable!
"In your hands you hold the key to unlock the mystery of the mind, body, spirit and heart connection." I must admit that I'm a little skeptical about that statement, but I am convinced that massage is beneficial on many levels. And Baby Massage Basics is a great way to get started. If you haven't tried massaging your child yet, you'll be surprised at the results. It creates an amazing bond!
