Working on the PowerPoint presentation for the IAAMB Conference in Seattle, I was once again impressed with the power and potential of this program. In a culture where adults and children are discouraged to touch another human, for fear of being inappropriate or politically incorrect, what options do children have for experiencing compassionate touch?
PetMassage for Kids™
There is something called touch deprivation. Clinically, it is defined as a lack of tactile stimulation, especially in early infancy. If continued for a sufficient length of time, it may lead to serious developmental and emotional disturbances, such as stunted growth, personality disorders, and social regression. In severe cases a child who is deprived of adequate physical handling and emotional stimulation may not survive infancy. (Source: Mosby’s Medical Dictionary, 8th edition. © 2009, Elsevier.)
Recent studies have been about infants and touch deprivation, about children and touch deprivation and about the elderly and touch deprivation. Let’s remember that early research needed to base its assumptions on animal models. So scientist studied monkeys and rats and dogs. It was shown conclusively that if these animals were not handled, if they were denied access to touch – physical and emotional – they were smaller, weaker, frailer and more likely to demonstrate a “failure to thrive.”
When I was doing my nursing clinicals in Chicago in the early 1990′s, I had the opportunity to work in Columbus Hospital with babies whose mothers were crack addicts. The mothers had neither the interest or capacity to care for and nurture these children. The babies were wards of the community. Tough beginning for the strongest of constitutions. These babies began their lives with the equivalent of a heavy brick on their tiny chests and a constant siren blaring in their little heads.
The infants cried incessantly. Inconsolable. The crack poison flowed all through their little bodies. They were going though their own painful withdrawals. We were taught that they would never have the neurological connections to be able to function in socially appropriate ways. The older children showed flat affects and had little interest for the generally accepted rules for moral behavior.
I was beginning my education, working with experienced “Healers” within the Chicago chapter of the Holistic Nurses Association at the time. The Healing Touch I learned was the only –the only –consistently effective method that I and the experienced nurses on the unit could use to move through the armoring of anguish to connect with the calm child within. This is the experience that made me so passionate, so invested in counteracting the devastating effects from the lack of physical and emotional touch.
The human being thrives on touch. An enormous amount of research has been done in recent years, on both human beings and animals, in regards to touch. The results show that lack of touch (“cutaneous deprivation”) can lead, not only to emotional disturbances but also, to a lessened intellectual ability and physical growth, reduced sexual interest, and even a weakness of the immune system. – The Hunger for Touch
Dr. Rene Spitz (1945, 1947) reports reflect his anguished quest for a solution to the unexplainable deaths and pathologies of infants and toddlers in his care. The diagnosis of that era for these terminal children was “marasmus” (translation – “the withering away and dying of no apparent cause.”) Spitz finally discovered that medicine, good nutrition, and clean surroundings impacted not the least on the tragic outcome. Only what Harry Harlow (1958, 1962) was to later call “contact comfort” turned out to be the “cure” for the excruciating deaths of these children. Touch deprivation is probably most damaging to an infant because, unlike the other four senses, the neonate has an extremely small amount of control over somato-sensory self-stimulation due to underdeveloped motor control capacities.
This is a fundamental social problem. Children who do not know touch will act out by displacing their anger at rejection on the animals around them. Healthcare professionals are taught to watch out for children and adults who abuse dogs, as they will be more likely to also be abusive to people. It is as if they are honing their destructive behaviors on small, defenseless creatures before moving on to bigger game.
Something that gives me cause to pause is the alarming reports of children withdrawing into cyber space and virtual relationships to meet their emotional needs. Children are not touched enough. Children are not encouraged to touch each other. They are not even taught to touch our best friends, the dogs. In schools and public safety programs children are taught to fear them.
Yes, dog bites are a serious problem in the US with 4.7 million dog bite victims annually. Most of the victims who receive medical attention are children, half of whom are bitten in the face. The median age of patients bitten was 15 years, with children, especially boys aged 5 to 9 years, having the highest incidence rate. The odds that a bite victim will be a child are 3.2 to 1. (CDC.) Children seen in emergency departments were more likely than older persons to be bitten on the face, neck, and head. 77% of injuries to children under 10 years old are facial. Severe injuries occur almost exclusively in children less than 10 years of age. The majority of dog attacks (61%) happen at home or in a familiar place. The vast majority of biting dogs (77%) belong to the victim’s family or a friend. When a child less than 4 years old is the victim, the family dog was the attacker half the time (47%), and the attack almost always happened in the family home (90%).
I do not believe that the solution is to run away, curl into the posture of a frightened hedgehog, or stand paralyzed in fear.
The solution to the dog bite epidemic is education. Let’s teach children, and the adults that they influence, the grace and safety of incorporating knowledgeable, appropriate body language and compassionate, nurturing touch. You can teach this in your community, too.
The PetMassage for Kids™ program: has exercises for children to become consciously aware of their senses, to observe and respect another’s space, to become aware of how their actions can affect others, and, of course, how to optimize the power of gentleness and touch sensitivity.
Kids discover that their body language, facial expressions and even their thoughts can have powerful effects on others, especially their sensitive dogs. Learning and practicing PetMassage™ is more that just petting dogs! PetMassage™ is a means of promoting important positive fundamental social concepts such as understanding, acceptance, patience, the value of practice, using repetition to develop skills, safe animal handling, and human-animal communication.
The PetMassage for Kids™ program helps children learn and practice coordination, intentional touch, and the quantum power of witnessing.
PetMassage for Kids™ shifts the energy of what is taught from fear based, or what to do if a dog attacks you, to emphasize nurturing, understanding, compassion, communication. The program simply teaches
- Body language skills
- Massage skills
- Massage benefits
- Observation skills
Children learn the skills of awareness, which will keep them safe as they see how an animal is responding to them. They learn compassion, taking them out of themselves as the center of the universe. They learn the power and healing effects of intentional touch. This socially appropriate touch honors the space, the body, and the emotional states of their dogs,
The PetMassage for Kids™ program instills appreciation for massage therapy, knowledgeable compassionate and nurturing touch, as a useful tool for healing and rebalancing the minds, bodies, spirits of people and animals.
I am not alone in seeing the value of this course. These are some of the supportive comments from our colleagues:
Educators continually advocate for parents to become active participants in their child’s education. Learning how to massage their dog together is a great way for parents to learn side-by-side with their child. I highly recommend this book to any family interested in learning and growing together”.
-Brian Davis, MA Ed. Adm.
“DKP offers children a great way of learning how to combine love with responsibility and compassion toward their best friend. Sharing this book with your children will enhance the family bond all the way around.”
- Amy Snow, Tallgrass Animal Acupressure Institute
“This book is on the bookshelf both in my practice and at home. You need a copy…doctor’s orders!”
- Dr. Marty Becker, Resident Veterinarian on ABC TV’s Good Morning America
I encourage you to join us in sharing the joy of PetMassage and the healing love it brings to children of all ages, all over the world.
Consider getting the entire PetMassage for Kids™ program. It includes the DVD, the book, the audio CD and the curricula. We’ll even include a free official PetMassage patch so the kids can identify you as the expert. The package including one curriculum, either the five day course or the ten week course, is only $98.75. If you would like both the curricula, the price, including the DVD, book and CD will be $123.75.
The DVD, the book, and the CD of children’s songs are the foundations for fun, educational after-school and camp programs curricula .
PetMassage for Kids™ is based on tested and validated skills and teaching methods developed over twelve years of teaching more than one hundred week-long professional level canine massage workshops for adults. Teachers will find our teaching guides enjoyable and easy to follow. Kids love the classes, too!
The PetMassage for Kids™ program teaches children the basic hands-on skills of canine massage and principles of dog handling safety. They learn the basic handling, touching, holding, stroking, and other PetMassage techniques with their stuffed dogs. Confidence in their new abilities grows while important psycho-social skills develop.
1. PetMassage:A Kids Guide to Massaging Their Dogs DVD
Kids take a PetMassage™ workshop to learn a simple full body canine massage. First they practice on their stuffed animals then with their own dogs. Two of the children schedule a private review session and then we check in on a fun puppets round table discussion. Bonus menu items include History of PetMassage, study guides of the PetMassage Form, Benefits, Contraindications and Music Sampler of the CD: 60 minutes. Ages 5-up $17.95 + $7.00 S/H
Endorsed by the Girl Scouts of America
2. Dogs Kids PetMassage
Easy to follow photographs and simple instructions teach 2 kids, Mari and Grant to use PetMassage™ skills to help their dogs achieve their optimal physical and emotional balance. We learn that a balanced dog is a happy healthy dog, and a well adjusted member of the family.
- PetMassage helps kids to become more aware so they can maintain a vigil for their dogs’ wellness
- PetMassage increases their dog’s flexibility.
- PetMassage enhances their dog’s circulation and muscle tone.
- PetMassage enhances bonding, understanding and empathy
DKP 128 pages, $16.95 plus $7.00 S/H
3. PetMassage™ Doggie Songs for Kids audio CD
Music composed by Jonathan Rudinger and performed by Charlie Oswanski. This CD, for children ages 2 and up offers some good lessons. It is fun to dance to and sing along with. Only $12.95
Purchase the 3-part package for $48.75.
4. PetMassage for Kids™ Curricula Five Day and/or Ten week After school programs .
One for $50, both for $75
Call 800-779-1001 or order online at www.petmassage.com
One part of the presentation at the Backer show that seemed to resonate with attendees was my reference to us all being members of the same tribe. We may not be related by blood, but on a deeper, soul–level. We are the ones who were born with the natural ability to connect and communicate, honor and respect animals. We know each other when we meet. We are immediately comfortable with each other as we share the commonality of being able to easily and naturally live and work with animals. Not everybody shares this gift, or passion, or natural preference. Just as not everyone has the gift of easily understanding how to prepare tax forms, or fill cavities, or ski downhill (three activities that elude me). Thank you for acknowledging that you are in the tribe. My enthusiasm for connecting with like minded people, or our tribe, led me to create the IAAMB.
