LIDDLE KIDZ – The Tina Allen Story - AMTA Delaware Newsletter by Wade Carey
 

LIDDLE KIDZ – The Tina Allen Story - AMTA Delaware Newsletter
By Wade Carey
Past President AMTA DE
November 2008

On a gorgeous summer evening, I ventured out to hear Tina Allen lecture on infant and pediatrics massage. As a single guy with no children and an interest in other massage modalities why should I attend such a lecture? Maybe it was the educator in me or the fact I could write this article. Well here I go. I had a fantastic opportunity to talk one on one with this dynamic and vibrant woman who makes a difference for infants, children, abused woman and many other people.

Tina Allen, with her three cats and husband travels the country giving seminars and workshops to people interested in children. When asked why she had an interest in this field Tina told me, as a sickly child, she remembers the comforting hand of her mother. This is what got her through.  It made her feel better. She has worked in developing pediatric massage programs at Mattel Children’s Hospital at UCLA and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center as well as developed a program focusing on gentle compassionate touch to woman and children who have survived domestic abuse. She states it is important to break the cycle. Children need to deal with bad touch issues.

It is important in a pre or post surgical situation that the parent, relative or caregiver help a child with anxiety by focusing on a bonding and nurturing experience. In a hospital situation the parents, child and nurses can feel better because of the child’s positive experience. The child can always say no to “massage”, but the unique needs of the child should come first; a child can not say no to medical exams ordered by a physician.

Working with parents with premature infants, Tina has seen parents empowered to hold and bathe their infants when before there was fear.

When asked about certification in the field, Tina explained that for pediatrics 16 CEU credits are needed but for infant massage 24 CEU credits are required as well as working with a certain number of families, producing educational handouts and doing evaluations.

Tina will be traveling once again to Thailand where she has worked with orphans, in hospice and with AIDS patients or teach care givers..

The Liddlekidz tour bus will be scheduled to come back to Delaware next year in the fall for those interested in this fascinating field of massage.

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