Children often get sick repeatedly, which worries adults. So what can be done to enhance a child's resistance and reduce the frequency of illness? Today, I will introduce pediatric massage techniques that can strengthen a baby's constitution. When babies get sick less often, mothers can be more at ease.
I. What is the role of pediatric massage?
The role of pediatric massage can be summarized as follows: balancing yin and yang, harmonizing the organs, dredging the meridians, promoting blood circulation, and expelling pathogenic factors. Specifically:
1. Improving the overall functions of a child's body
The therapeutic functions of acupoints and meridians have been confirmed by modern clinical medicine. Acupoints are the most important points on the meridians, and stimulating these points can adjust the circulation of qi and blood in the meridians, balance yin and yang, and enhance the body's resistance. Clinical practice has shown that pediatric massage can indeed enhance immune function. Additionally, pediatric massage can promote blood circulation, ensure a balanced diet, improve appetite, and support normal growth and development.
2. Relieving and alleviating children's pain
If a child is ill, massaging a specific part or acupoint can induce physiological changes in the corresponding organs through the meridians, thus achieving the therapeutic effect. Pediatric massage has a wide range of applications and is effective in treating common illnesses such as colds, fevers, coughs, diarrhea, abdominal pain, constipation, poor appetite, asthma, drooling, malnutrition, night crying, bedwetting, myopia, and torticollis.
3. Preventing illness and enhancing a child's resistance to diseases
Pediatric massage plays a role in strengthening the body and preventing diseases in two aspects:
A) Disease prevention: Pediatric massage can harmonize qi and blood, unblock the meridians, balance yin and yang, and enhance the body's resistance, thus preventing diseases and reducing their occurrence.
B) Disease transmission prevention: Children's conditions can worsen rapidly after falling ill, and they are prone to critical conditions. Pediatric massage can prevent disease progression, prevent complications, and alleviate critical symptoms.
Pediatric massage techniques:
1. "Kai Tian Men" (also known as "Tui Cuan Zhu")
According to the Qing Dynasty's "Baochi Tui Na Fa," this technique involves using both thumbs to straight push from the midpoint between the eyebrows to the hairline. Repeat this motion 30-50 times. It has the effects of dispelling wind, awakening the mind, calming the spirit, and improving vision.
2. Rubbing "Nei Lao Gong"
For this technique, an adult holds the child's left hand with their left hand, palm facing upward, and drips cold water into the palm. Then, the adult uses their right thumb to rub from the child's little finger tip to the base of the finger, along the palm, until reaching the "Nei Lao Gong" acupoint. The motion is like catching fish, and the hand should lift up at the end. Combined with blowing air, rotate the thumb while blowing air. The speed should be slow, not fast, and limited to no more than 18 breaths. This technique has a cooling effect and can help reduce fever.
3. Rubbing "Er Hou Gao Gu"
"Er Hou Gao Gu" is located in the hollow below the high bone behind the ear. Use the thumb or middle finger to rub it 30-50 times. This technique can dispel wind and heat and be used to treat headaches, convulsions, and restlessness.
4. Pushing the spine: Use the index and middle fingers, dip them in warm water (or directly in talcum powder), and repeatedly push along the baby's spine from top to bottom, about 200 times.
5. Pushing "Qing Tian He Shui": Hold the baby's hand with the palm facing upward, expose the forearm, and use the index and middle fingers of the right hand to push super fast from the inner side of the baby's forearm at the wrist to the elbow. Repeat this motion approximately 200-300 times.
Precautions:
1. Choose a stable and relatively pleasant period for pediatric massage.
2. The duration of pediatric massage should be determined based on the condition and constitution of the child. Focus on massaging specific acupoints and adjust the number of massages and time accordingly. The total duration should be controlled within 20-30 minutes.
3. Pediatric massage should not be performed on children with skin diseases or skin lesions.
4. After pediatric massage, avoid drafts and avoid consuming raw and cold foods.
