A Parent's Guide to Pediatric Massage

By Daniel Berro, LMT

Massage therapy has many of the same benefits for kids as for adults—and that’s good news for many children who are dealing with some of the same aches and pains as adults thanks to today’s tech-forward lifestyles. 

When I was a kid, the world was a lot different. As an older millennial, I remember a time before our lives were centered around computers, smartphones and tablets. I experienced the usual musculoskeletal stress that comes with physical development, active participation in sports and the usual roughhousing and exploration that comes with childhood. 

Kids today are more sedentary, and are now experiencing the same lower back and neck pain as adults who spend their days at a desk or scrolling online in their free time. Not only are kids experiencing some of the same postural stressors as adults, they find the world just as overstimulating—if not more—than their parents. 

Chances are if you’re reading this, you might be someone who has their own relationship to chiropractic’s, massage therapy, acupuncture and other self care practices.  If you’re a parent or legal guardian, you might be wondering if the same techniques that help you reduce stress and physical discomfort might help your children. Here’s what you should consider when deciding if massage therapy might be helpful for your child, and what to expect from a vist with a pediatric massage provider. 

At What Age Is Massage Therapy Appropriate for Children 

There is no true age restriction on massage therapy, or other bodywork treatments like chiropractic care for newborns.In fact, infant massage has been shown to be very beneficial for developing babies. For babies and toddlers, massage therapy can be provided by the parents in addition to cuddling, nursing, skin-to-skin contact, play and other physical bonding activities. 

When my first niece and nephew came into the world, I had just finished massage school. I showed my sister some easy massage techniques to use while she applied baby lotion. She did this daily with all her children. There is research that shows a developmental edge for babies who received daily nurturing touch in comparison to children who received less nurturing touch. 

As kids get older, however, their musculoskeletal system develops and becomes more complex. From ages five to 17, the expertise of a professional massage therapist can be beneficial for issues ranging from back and neck pain, head aches and even stress and anxiety. 

Common Issues Addressed With Pediatric Bodywork 

Children between 5 and 17 are going through many developmental stages and physical changes that can affect their muscle tone, posture, coordination and confidence. Pediatric massage can influence a wide variety of developmental milestones like sensory processing, motor skills and proprioception. Massage and bodywork are also tools to address challenges children face as well as adults, like stress, ADHD, anxiety, tech neck and upper back pain that stem from everyday ergonomics.

However, many parents aren’t aware that pediatric massage is available and accessible—or aren’t sure what to expect from an appointment. Like other types of therapy, many of us didn’t grow up having the conversations about self-care or the emotional life of children the way we do today. Here’s what you can expect as a parent if you make a massage therapy appointment for your child.

What Parents Can Expect From Children’s Massage

With pediatric massage, both the parents and the child have agency. From intake to treatment, the child’s guardian is an active participant who will be present for the entire massage. It’s important for both accountability and advocacy that the parent be present, and the massage therapist may need to communicate about health information or aftercare recommendations. 

That said, the massage is always about the person receiving the massage, even if that person is a minor. That means the child is ultimately in control of the treatment and that the therapist will explain what is happening and why as clearly as possible. If the child feels they’ve had enough two or ten minutes in, that’s that. The child must have agency to express their comfort throughout treatment. 

How Long Is a Pediatric Massage Appointment? 

As an adult, there’s nothing like looking forward to a 60 minute—or even the coveted 90 minute—massage. That hour of physical relaxation and mental space is a welcome break from our hectic days and to-do lists.

For children, however, time moves at a different scale. The child who can receive a 90 minute session must be the Buddha reincarnated.  Shorter massage sessions of no more than 30 minutes of massage is needed for kids younger than 15. Kids' muscles are much more reactive to manual work and respond with much less time and pressure than adults’ fascia. After age 15, if there is rapport with a therapist or the child has been getting massages since babyhood longer sessions could be something to consider

How often should children get massage therapy? That depends entirely on the child and what they are hoping to address through pediatric massage. When in doubt, speak with the massage therapist after the treatment about when to schedule your next massage.

Daniel Berro is a licensed massage therapist at Washington Park Chiropractic in Denver, CO. Learn more about Daniel by reading his bio on our website!

Situated in Denver’s Wash Park neighborhood, Washington Park Chiropractic is dedicated to providing comprehensive, patient-centered care. Our team of experienced chiropractors and therapists work collaboratively to develop personalized treatment plans that address each patient's unique needs. The addition of Shockwave Therapy enhances our ability to offer cutting-edge solutions for pain relief and functional improvement.​

We understand the active lifestyle of our Denver community and strive to help our patients return to their favorite activities pain-free. Whether you're a weekend warrior, a professional athlete, or someone dealing with chronic pain, our goal is to support your journey to optimal health.