Setting the standards for the safe, professional practice of positive touch and developmental movement with infants, children and young people

BOOK REVIEWS

The following books are recommended by the GICM:

BOOKS

ENERGY MEDICINE – THE SCIENTIFIC BASIS
JAMES OSCHMAN, CHURCHILL LIVINGSTONE (2002)
This book is a ‘must read’ for anyone interested in possible scientific explanations for the energetic aspects of the massage work we do with either children or adults. Oschman, an academic scientist, reviews literature ranging from quantum physics to homeopathy, acupuncture, massage and even research into salamanders in his quest for a cogent rational as to the significance of the electrical output by the human body.

In essence his argument is that electricity is generated mainly by the heart but also by the brain and the muscles of the body. It is a basic law of physics that when electricity moves it produces electro-magnetic waves. These magnetic waves radiate away from the body, getting weaker but never disappearing completely. People can affect each others electro-magnetic waves in either positive or negative ways.

We all know people who, when they walk into a room, make their presence ‘felt’ without saying a word. Equally, I think we call all name at least one person in our lives who leaves us feeling drained after we have had a conversation with them – even on the phone! Oschman’s hypothesis provides us with a reasonable explanation of why this might be – as well as possibly explaining the phenomenon of auras and how non-touch therapies, such as Reiki, may work.

I don’t want to go into too much detail and spoil the book. However, I will say that I suspect that some readers may find what Becker did to salamanders somewhat distasteful. For those who find it interesting, I would recommend Robert Becker’s book called The Body Electric.

To summarise, I would say that this book provides a tantalising hint of what lies behind so much of our work in infant/child and school massage. Perhaps the calm atmosphere that reigns after school massage sessions is a mystery no more!
GUT AND PSYCHOLOGY SYNDROME
Dr Natasha Campbell-McBride MD, Medinform ()
Gut and Psychology Syndrome represents an examination of the relationship between what we eat, our gut flora and fauna and our mental state, with particular emphasis on how the first two can lead to learning problems ranging from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder to autism and even schizophrenia. Written by a medical doctor with an autistic child, the book maps out clearly how modern food production practices, medicines and lifestyles have left many children and adults with a potentially devastating imbalance between the intestinal microbes that promote good health and those know to cause illness. The book is written for parents/ carers and sufferers of learning disorders, depression and schizophrenia, which makes it very accessible to the lay reader.

Those involved in infant and child massage will find it useful in two ways. Firstly, from a professional standpoint, it will help teachers understand some of the mechanisms that underpin these disorders and opens up a rich vein of potential research into how massage may enhance results – after all, we know that massage can aid in the digestive process. Secondly, being written by a doctor, it is a useful resource to suggest to parents who find themselves tackling these problems, especially where they are resisting the introduction of drugs to ‘modify’ their child/children’s behaviour.

As I turned the pages, I kept having those ‘well, I never’ moments. Campbell-McBride links anaemia to poor gut flora and fauna and explains why genetics is not a rational explanation for the explosion of cases of learning disorders currently being seen. She clarifies why wheat and dairy can cause digestive/mental problems BUT also why their removal from the diet is often not sufficient to remedy the situation. In addition, she tackles the fraught issue of the MMR/autism link in a thoroughly professional and scientific way. I could go on and on…..

The above by itself would have made a good read but it does not stop there. Campbell-McBride goes on to elucidate what dietary changes are needed, including a comprehensive good and bad foods list, and gives recipes to help get one started. She also tells us how to select good probiotics and gives appropriate dosages based on age, as well as fronting up to the issue of supplementation generally. The section on good versus bad fats is one of the best expositions of this topic that I have read in a long time, based on research rather than faddy diets.

If I have one criticism of this book, it is that there is no list of suppliers at the end. However, that is also refreshing, as one is left with the feeling that there is no ‘hidden agenda’ in terms of the probiotics, essential fatty acids etc.

All in all, a riveting read for anyone interested in working with children experiencing learning disorders and an invaluable tool to the parents/carers of those children.
Liquid Sunshine
Jan Kusmirek, ()
This brand new publication explains in plain language how vegetable oils work to benefit skin and health. Written for the layperson and therapist alike, it contains unique information on over 48 vegetable and herbal oils that would be of value to anyone using vegetable oils in massage. In this book you will discover what Cold Pressed means; what Virgin or Organic or Refined means.

Nutritionists are now acknowledging the value of vegetable oils to human health. Until now very little printed information existed about their characteristics and vital functions. This book explains the differences between the oils, and the way growing methods and processing can affect their use and value. The ideas behind orthodox science and alternative science are brought into the discussion but the book concentrates on usable information for the therapist rather than technical theorising.

Whilst aromatherapy has developed the topical use of vegetable oils for well-being and health, you do not need to be trained therapist to enjoy the book or reap benefits from vegetable oils.

The author, Jan Kusmirek, is a qualified medical herbalist, naturopath and aromatherapist. He has written the book from practical experience not just as a therapist, but also in his capacity as a skincare consultant to the cosmetics industry specialising in natural materials. The information demonstrates an intimate and authoritative knowledge of this little known subject and the book will undoubtedly become a standard reference to any user of vegetable oils.
Our Need for Others and its Roots in Infancy
Josephine Klein, ()
In this fascinating book the author, Klein, draws on the theories of many psychoanalysts, such as Bowlby (well known to all positive touch teachers) – whose work forms the bases of the chapter on ‘The Unattached Infant’; and the chapters ‘The Joy of Being’ and Discovery, Inventing, Creating and Using Symbols’ champions Winnicott’s hypothesises.

By drawing on the work of these renowned theorists, coupled with Klein’s own experience as a psychotherapist with 30 years worth of knowledge in the field, we are given a comprehensive and detailed account of how a young baby experiences life; how an individual’s need for others stems from their earliest experiences; and how the first few months of a child’s life strongly influences the development of personality structures in later life.
Relax Kids: The Wishing Star
Marneta Viegas, ()
It is easy for today’s children – who from an early are bombarded with computer and TV screens plus a whole range of modern stresses – to grow up without knowing how to relax, how to concentrate and how to use their full creative abilities. That’s why this book is so worthwhile. It contains a collection of 52 meditations and visualisations specially written for children, to help them explore their inner world. Ideal for calming down at bedtime, the theme of each meditation is also designed to help the child in daily life and to be able – whatever is going on in the outer world – to find a space of peace and freedom within.
Shiatsu for Midwives
Suzanne Yates, ()
This book covers both the theory and practice of using shiatsu. It examines the key concepts of shiatsu and the differences in outlook between East and West and looks at the professional issues that midwives need to consider when incorporating shiatsu into their practice. The book concentrates on the practical application of shiatsu in maternity care and also looks at the use of shiatsu with babies.

A useful book for the midwife who wishes to implement shiatsu into practice; and for those wishing to find out more about shiatsu for babies.
Smart Moves, Why Learning Is Not All In Your Head
Carla Hannaford, PhD, ()
Neurophysiologist and educator Carla Hannaford has more than twenty-eight years teaching experience and four years working as a counsellor for school children with learning difficulties. Internationally recognised since 1988 she has made numerous presentations worldwide on the neural basis of learning and educational kinesiology.

Carla’s book “Smart Moves” gives the reader an easy to read insight into the full potential of the human mind and body and how movement of the body helps to develop the emotion and reasoning centres of the brain.

This book presents interesting facts about the brain itself, in particular the importance of the sensory system and the development of the limbic system, which with the neo-cortex allows emotional and cognitive processing. Carla talks about the forming of language through the senses and how language integrates the body, mind and emotions.

How the senses and movement can transform the development of the humans potential to learn is the main theme through out this book supported by research evidence and case studies. Examples of the Brain Gym exercises that encourage such development are clearly demonstrated.

Carla herself states in the book “If I were a child in school today I would be labelled ‘learning disabled’ or ‘Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder’ due to my inability to learn to read before the age of ten and my need to move in order to learn.”

It is a book that a parent, teacher or professional interested in the holistic well being of the child will find a worthwhile read.

Smart Moves bears particular relevance to the importance of cross midline exercises which should give infant massage teachers more reason to believe in the importance of them alongside massage. It also supports the philosophy of the importance of introducing movement of this kind into school life.
THE GREAT FOOD GAMBLE
John Humphrys, Hodder & Stoughton (2001)
There cannot be many of us who, at some time, have not listened to the measured and authorative voice of John Humphrys presenting the Today programme on Radio 4 and, I must confess, that as I read this book, on occasions, I could have sworn I was actually hearing him speak to me. This made the experience all the more chilling, as he examined in depth changes in agricultural practice and how these may be affecting the quality of the food we and our children eat.

The book opens by explaining how Britain’s dependency on food imports at the beginning of World War II fuelled the drive towards the factory farming methods developed over the last 50 years. He also poses the stark question of whether the cheap food provided by these farming methods is really safe to eat and queries if it really is ‘cheap’ given that our taxes are often spent in farming subsidies.

In chapter 2, he traces the development of the human diet from that of hunter gatherer to farmer and notes that, although hunting mammoths with wooden spears was a somewhat dangerous occupation, we have since caught flu from pigs and ducks, colds from horses, pox from cows and measles from dogs. He also tells us that unscrupulous suppliers have attempted to profit at the consumers’ expense since Roman times. I am very glad that I and my family did not live in the period following the Industrial Revolution when things really took a turn for the worse, with copper and lead carbonate being added to sugar and lead to cayenne pepper to name but a few of the ‘interesting’ practices of the time.

He devotes a chapter each to the topics of pesticides, soil quality and how it affects food quality, antibiotic use in animal rearing and the potential effects of GM food on human health. By this stage of the book, I was beginning to wonder if there was any future for mankind or whether we are doomed to serve the needs of big business to make profit at any cost. After all, I know first hand how difficult it is to get funding and ethical approval for research that does not service the interests of some large organisation or another.

I need not have felt so despondent, for John’s dulcet tones then reassure me that there is a ‘counter-revolution’ taking place at grass roots level, with the public rejecting GM food and demanding more and more organic produce AND the supermarkets are paying heed to their customers’ demands. He points out that science is not the preserve of the ‘establishment’, who are often dependent on big business for funding, but that it is ‘simply knowledge acquired by study’. We can all be scientists, if we so choose, and he cites examples of individuals who, using science, have taken on the establishment and won. Perhaps my abiding memory of this book will be the concept that agriculture is a nation’s primary healthcare service. It will certainly inform how I feed my family from now on and how I advise my patients.

Although this is more of an eminently readable coffee table book than a serious scientific tract at one level, the bibliography at the back provides a wealth of research papers for those who wish to pursue the topics raised further. In addition, the quiet authority of the author ensures, I believe, that it is taken more seriously by a wider audience than would otherwise be the case. On all three counts, the book is to be commended.
The Little Book of Baby Massage
Pauline Carpenter & Lorraine Tolley, Nurturalle (ISBN 0-9545188-0-2) (May 2003)
An excellent little book aimed at parents that has an easy to follow ten minute full body massage, with illustrations. Lovely book to buy a new mum who doesn’t have time to read a lengthy book or supplement an Infant Massage Course.

The book explains about the best time to massage, contra indicators, the best place to massage baby and much more relevant information, whilst remaining pocket sized!
The Social Toddler
Helen & Clive Dorman, The Children's Project (November 2002)
Companion title to The Social Baby, The Social Toddler offers the reader an in-depth look at the world of pre-school children through clear text and video-stills.

Much maligned and frequently misunderstood, the toddler years are dreaded by many parents.

Toddlers can be seen as wilful, destructive and unco-operative - often a terrible disappointment after what has been delightful babyhood. Parents ask themselves what has gone wrong, and the resulting tension can establish patterns of behaviour in the family that remain until adult life.

How does the toddler view this stage? The Social Toddler explains why behaviour patterns emerge and offers simple, effective strategies to diffuse situations that are regularly encountered.

The book further explains how immature minds view the ever expanding world in which they find themselves and shows the reader just how frustrating it is to be at this stage of life. Many of us simply cannot imagine what it must be like to ask but have no language, to reason but with no boundaries, or to explore with no concept of fear.

Toddlers are not wilful, they are endlessly inquisitive. They are not demons, they are only just discovering social interaction and contract with strangers. As The Social Baby makes so clear, each child is a unique individual living in a unique set of circumstances, and there is not one rule that can be applied to all. By understanding events from the child's perspective, the parent/carer is better able to respond to situations and avoid conflict.

The book covers:
- The period from 12 months to 4 years
- The world from a Toddler's view point
- Use of language by parents/adults
- Behaviour patterns
- Development of social skills
- Importance of learning through play and discovery
- Tantrums
- Food and Feeding
- Bedtimes
- Toilet Practice
- Shifting attachment from parent to another

‘Brilliantly photographed picture-stories illuminate the mysteries of toddler thinking’
The Well Balanced Child
Sally Goddard Blythe, ()
“The Well Balanced Child is a thought-provoking and helpful book that makes a vital contribution to understanding child development. I would recommend it to all parents, teachers, and child healthcare professionals.” —Ewout Van-Manen, Waldorf educator, Michael Hall School, UK

Sally Goddard Blythe thoroughly explains why movement is so important for the healthy development of babies and young children. She describes movement, balance, reflexes, learning, and behaviour in early education and how music affects brain development. The book includes songs, games and, activities that encourage learning at key stages of development.

Here is a unique and holistic approach to the senses, movement, the brain, play, and movement. It is also a valuable resource for helping parents and professionals assess children with learning difficulties and for dealing with learning and behavioural problems through movement.

This one is highly recommended for all early education teachers and parents of young children.
Touch
Tiffany Field, ()
Anyone who has come across Tiffany Field’s work will not need to be told that this book is well worth a read. Touch starts with an overview of the sociology and anthropology of touching and basic psychophysical properties of touch. Includes recent research results on the value of touch therapies for such conditions as asthma, cancer, autism, and eating disorders.
Touch in Early Development
Tiffany Field, ()
This concise, yet informative book about touch in early development is useful for those keen to get some well researched information, from respected researchers, such as Montagu, Field and Brazelton, without having to trawl through several books. Subjects covered are:

- Touch for our species across all ages
- Touch and the foetus
- The need for touch during labour and delivery
- The critical role of touch for the premature infant’s development
- Introducing kangaroo care
- The role of touch stimulation for infants who are unresponsive
TUI NA MASSAGE FOR A HEALTHIER, BRIGHTER CHILD
Maria Metrcanti, GAIA BOOKS LTD (1999)
This book is designed for parents who want to use massage therapy to treat common childhood ailments, such as coughs, colds, colic, restlessness and teething, as well as to promote healthy physical and mental development. In common with many infant massage books, this one starts off with a theoretical rationale for adopting the techniques in the book. Unlike most books, though, it takes the reader into the world of Chinese medicine with concepts such as Qi, Five Elements, Yin and Yang. I thought this would be daunting but I have to admit, even though I am a practitioner of Chinese medicine myself, I think she has done a good job of making the basic concepts accessible to most parents and child carers.
The next section is full of coloured photographs and explanations as to how to perform the various strokes. The book then moves onto describing a basic healthcare routine, which should, it is recommended, be practised once or twice a week. I suspect many parents would find the pictures with the acupuncture points a little daunting to start with. However, with a little practice and perseverance these can be easily learnt.
The short chapter on making massage fun acts as a useful piece of light relief before the book returns to the topic of treatment, this time explaining how to use what has been learnt so far to treat colds, coughs, night crying, restlessness, colic and teething.
Mercati spent many years in the Far East and during that time developed a passion for Oriental medicine and this passion leaps out you from the pages as you read them.
If I have one criticism, it is the use of the word ‘brighter’ in the title. However, I suppose if it encourages parents and carers to engage in positive touch with infants and young children then I can live with it.