Rolfing

Rolfing for Children and Babies

Rolfing has a positive impact on the children’s health. Rolfing children at an early age gives them ease with their own bodies and develops confidence in their self image. Adult complaints of chronic backache, neck pain and other physical and emotional stressors can originate from a childhood imbalance.

One of the things children learn from watching us is how we carry ourselves. They naturally imitate their parent's language, movement and other modes of expression. These patterns can be seen in family photos and are as much a part of a child's makeup as his or her hair color, height and predisposition to certain hereditary conditions. Rolfing can begin to correct patterns, such as hip imbalances, which may limit the child's development and mobility.

However, as conscientious parents can be all too painfully aware, that not all children carry their bodies well. Thus, we can come to “read” those timid, tense, or distorted bodies as expressed needs, which are not otherwise being communicated. As parents, one of our concerns is to produce a balanced child or baby. Rolfing is an immediately effective means of addressing this objective.

Dr. Ida P. Rolf, the founder of Rolfing, foresaw that both children and babies can benefit from Rolfing. She worked with a range of childhood complaints from typical childhood traumas from falls, accidents and injuries to birth traumas; to curved spines, twisted legs, and extended abdomens resulting from physical injury, emotional trauma, poor posture and/or disease.

Rolfing for children and babies address these concerns at an early age to give children ease with their own bodies and to allow them to develop the confidence that they carry their own state of grace within them. As their lives are just beginning to unfold there is no way to separate the physical child from his mental and spiritual self. A child who slumps physically slumps mentally and emotionally. Conversely, a child whose body is balanced and who moves gracefully and confidently reflects an inner grace and confidence.

Dr. Rolf's work with children and babies established that: a dramatic improvement in the children's and babies’ chronological, psychological and physical course of development can be documented. Parents reported that their children responded with increased confidence and verbal expression; improved self-image and enthusiasm; more self-control and less destructive behavior; more comfortable with their bodies and more physically active.

Early intervention by a Rolfer, who understands children and babies unique needs can make a profound difference in a child's awareness, comfort level and self-esteem. The importance of receiving loving supportive touch, in and of itself, is immeasurably valuable to a developing child. And Rolfing can accomplish so much more, creating palpable change in the child's connective tissue matrix.

Rolf bodywork is an effective means to address the everyday aches and pains of childhood development; as well as an illness or disease, such as cerebral palsy, scoliosis and brain injury in some persons. In research with the brain-injured child, Rolfing succeeded at addressing poor coordination, disorganized and immature movement and motor skill capability. Rolfing is a useful procedure to tone body muscles and assist proper functioning, improve language repoirtee and social responsiveness.

We cannot be overestimate how important it is especially for children, to understand this concept. We forget that childhood is charged with concerns and traumas, which the adult has survived and can only dimly recall, or perhaps has suppressed completely.

Rolfing for children and babies addresses these concerns at an early age to give children and babies ease with their own bodies and to allow them to develop the confidence that they carry their own state of grace within them. As their lives are just beginning to unfold there is no way to separate the physical child from his mental and spiritual self. A child who slumps physically slumps mentally and emotionally. Conversely, a child whose body is balanced and who moves gracefully and confidently reflects an inner grace and confidence.

Rolfing for children and babies