Pediatric constipation often leads to irritability, poor appetite, and bloating. If the symptoms are not relieved, it can hinder normal development and easily cause heatiness in children. When children are young, parents often use pediatric massage to treat their babies. So, is pediatric constipation massage effective?
Is Pediatric Constipation Massage Effective?
Pediatric constipation massage is effective.
Pediatric massage stimulates acupoints, meridians, and organs to strengthen the spleen and stomach, regulate organ functions, promote blood circulation and qi flow in the meridians, improve the body's resistance to diseases, enhance gastrointestinal motility, and improve digestive function, thus relieving constipation symptoms.
Pediatric Constipation Massage Techniques
Main symptoms: The child's face is red and hot, thirsty and wants to drink, short and reddish urine, reduced appetite, abdominal distension and pain, yellow and dry tongue coating, and purple fingerprints.
Massage techniques:
1. Clear the spleen meridian: Place the left thumb on the left thumb's palm side, and place the index and middle fingers on the back of the thumb's distal joint. Use the right thumb's fingertip or radial side to push from the thumb's root to the tip 200-300 times.
2. Clear the stomach meridian: Hold the child's left hand with the left hand, and use the thumb and index finger to fix the left thumb and palm joint. Use the right thumb's fingertip or radial side to push from the palm's base to the thumb's root 300-500 times.
3. Clear the lung meridian: Hold the child's left hand with the left thumb and index finger, and make the child's little finger face up and the palm face outwards. Use the right thumb's fingertip to push from the little finger's tip to the second joint's transverse lines 100-200 times.
4. Clear the large intestine: Support the child's left hand with the left hand, place the palm side, and use the right thumb's radial side to push directly from the tiger's mouth to the index finger's tip 200-300 times.
5. Retreating the six fu organs: Hold the child's left hand with the right hand and use the left thumb to push from the elbow to the Yinchi point on the ulnar side of the head 100-150 times.
6. Rubbing the abdomen: The child lies on his back, and use the palm or the fingertips of the index, middle, and ring fingers to rub in a clockwise direction on the upper abdomen for 3-5 minutes.
7. Dividing the abdomen into yin and yang: The child lies on his back, and use both hands' thumb fingertips to push from the sternum along the rib arch to the sides 50-100 times.
8. Rubbing the tail of the turtle: The child lies face down, and use the thumb or index finger to rub the tail of the turtle 50-100 times.
9. Pushing down the seven lumbar vertebrae: The child lies face down, and use the thumb or index finger to push from the second lumbar spine to the coccyx 100-200 times.
10. Rubbing the Yangchi point on the shoulder: Hold the child's left hand with the left hand, make the palm face down, and use the right thumb or index finger to rub the Yangchi point 100-150 times.
Pediatric Deficiency Constipation Massage Techniques
Main symptoms: Pale and dull complexion, fatigue, weak crying, difficult bowel movements, pale tongue coating, and pale fingerprints.
Massage techniques:
1. Tonify the spleen meridian: Bend the child's thumb with the left hand, and use the right thumb's fingertip to push from the radial side of the thumb's tip to the root 100-500 times.
2. Tonify the lung meridian: Hold the child's left hand with the left thumb and index finger, make the little finger face outward, and the palm face up. Use the right thumb, index finger, and middle finger to fix the child's wrist. Use the thumb's radial side to push from between the little finger to between the second finger's joints 100-200 times.
3. Tonify the kidney meridian: Hold the child's left hand with the right hand, make the palm face up, and use the left thumb's fingertip to push from the Yinchi point to the little finger's tip 100-200 times.
4. Clear the large intestine: Support the child's left hand with the left hand, place the palm side, and use the right thumb's radial side to push directly from the tiger's mouth to the index finger's tip 100-200 times.
5. Push the Three Gates: The child's left arm is extended, palm facing inward, hold the child's wrist joint on the ulnar side with the left hand, and hold the child's forearm with the right index and middle fingers. Use the thumb's radial side to push from the radial side of the large transverse lines to the Cubit Marsh point.
6. Rub the Erma point: Hold the child's left hand with the left hand, make the palm face down, and use the right thumb or index finger to rub the Erma point 100-150 times.
7. Pinch the spine: The child lies face down, fully expose the back, and use the thumbs of both hands to gently pinch the skin of the back from the tail to the neck, pinching 3-5 times.
8. Rub the Yangchi point on the shoulder: Hold the child's right hand with the left hand, make the palm face down, and use the right thumb or index finger to rub the Yangchi point 100-150 times.
9. Rub the Zusanli point on the foot: The child lies on his back, and rub the Zusanli point with the thumb for 1-2 minutes.
10. Push down the seven lumbar vertebrae: The child lies face down, and use the thumb or index finger to push from the second lumbar spine to the coccyx 100-200 times.
Pediatric Constipation Care Do's and Don'ts
1. Congenital and organic causes of constipation are not within the scope of massage treatment.
2. Parents should let their children eat more rough foods, such as coarse grains, vegetables, and foods high in fiber.
3. Cultivate the habit of regular bowel movements in children.
4. For those with weak spleen and stomach, reduced food intake, and less frequent bowel movements, attention should be paid to nourishing the stomach and promoting digestion.
