Customer Reviews

Swedish Child Massage: A Family Guide to Nurturing Touch

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This book accomplishes two very useful things. First, it explains how and why humans need physical contact, with some fascinating evidence as to the benefits of touch and the costs of not getting enough of it. Second, the book presents a solid introduction to massage for infants, children, and teens. The chapters cover massage in America, touch at the beginning of life, children's need for touch, and reactions to massage.

You have only to look at the pictures of happy, giggling infants and peacefully smiling schoolchildren to see how much the child models were enjoying the massage. The actual point of the photos is to illustrate the massage strokes, and they do this quite well - but for people new to massage and perhaps hesitant about its benefits, the emotional content may be more valuable. The instructions are basic enough for a novice to understand and apply, but for someone already experienced in general massage, this is still a handy guide to a specific type. "Swedish massage," by the way, is a style characterized by broad strokes, firm yet gentle, and delightful to receive.

I have to agree with the author: America tends to be a touch-starved society and that causes a lot of problems. Swedish Child Massage suggests a practical solution. So if you have kids, take a look at this book. If someone you know is expecting a visit from the stork, consider this as a baby-shower gift. Most highly recommended. -- Sheela Ardrian for the FEARLESS REVIEWS