Adventures in Occupational Therapy: Body Brushing
My last couple posts have been about the start of our occupational therapy journey with my older son. For the last three years I have questioned some of my sons’ behaviors only to be told that they were normal and that he would grow out of them. Fast forward and we now know that my son has a sensory processing issue. I know I am probably not the only parent out there in these shoes. I am sure that other parents have had their concerns brushed off too only to discover later that they were on to something. We know our kids best and we have to be their best advocates – even when it’s exhausting. Occupational therapy has been doing amazing things for my son. It’s not going to be a short road but we are definitely making progress. I want to share one of the occupational therapy “aids” that we have been introduced to. The Body Brush.
The idea of body brushing was introduced to us at our first occupational therapy session after my son’s evaluation. Therapeutic body brushing is just what it sounds like… I was given a soft “therapressure” brush and our occupational therapist taught me how “brush” my son. She showed me how to brush his back, arms, and legs, applying pressure and steady constant touch. Up and down – never side to side. She explained to me that the body brushing simulates some aspects of a deep pressure massage. I was intrigued. The brushing protocol is followed by a series of joint compressions. We call it “putting my son back together” and make a game out of it. He particularly enjoys making up sound affects to accompany each joint compression.
As our therapist showed me how to perform the brushing technique I watched my son’s reaction to it. My son has a LOT of energy. He is a very bouncy, chatty, 4 year old who rarely stops moving. But surprisingly the brushing really calmed him. About halfway through his therapist pointed out his expression. He was so relaxed. She told me that his body was literally in a sort of “blissed out” state and that his body was loving the contact and sensation that it was getting. Unless asleep, I don’t think I’ve ever seen my son that calm.
The idea behind the body brush is that, for those with sensory issues, it stimulates the body to adjust to the touch that it either craves or shies away from. For those with sensory avoidance issues, the body brushing helps them to become more acclimated and accepting of physical touch. For those, like my son, who crave more sensory input, the brushing provides that extra contact that he is often seeking out in a healthier more productive (and less destructive) way. Now the catch is that in a perfect world, we are supposed to brush my son every two hours…. Which let’s face it, is not likely to happen with our schedule and trying to juggle two kids. That said though, we were told that anything that we can do helps. We have started to build brushing into our son’s bedtime routine. It calms him and helps him settle down for the night.
In addition to helping my son to calm his body, the brushing can actually help his mind too. Studies have shown that therapeutic body brushing can help some kids gain more focus, improve coordination, and even help increase attention span – all things that my son needs to function better on a daily basis and this technique is great for kids will all sorts of challenges from sensory to attention deficit to autism!
It is honestly mind blowing how much of an effect this little brush can have on my son’s life. Granted, there is also a learning curve to this thing. I haven’t been able to perfect the brushing technique yet so when I use it, it’s not quite as effective as when our OT does. But it definitely still seems to make a difference. Over time my hope is that I will get good enough at it and that we will be able to fit it in frequently enough for us to use it as a tool to help my son with both physical and emotional regulation throughout the day.
If you have a kiddo struggling with any sort of attention or sensory issue I highly encourage you to ask your therapists about body brushing. It seems crazy but it really has made a difference for us. That said, please seek out a professional to teach you the technique as there ARE rules and a “right” and “wrong” way to do it. If you don’t administer the therapy correctly there is a possibility of doing more damage than good so always seek our professional training. Interested in hearing about more of our adventures in the land of occupational therapy? Come back to read my blog post next month about body socks!
Image Courtesy of sensorydirect.com