What is Qigong ?
Qigong is an ancient branch of Traditional Chinese Medicine that has been around for thousands of years to help people improve their health & recover from illnesses.
What is the Massage Qigong ?
The Massage Qigong bridges the Eastern traditional approach and the Western pragmatic and research oriented approach as they were both used in the creation of that specific technique.
The Massage Qigong, also called Qigong Sensory Therapy, is a set of 12 movements improving the overall blood and energy circulation of the child with Autism or sensory processing difficulties. The massage is directed at acupressure points and channels on the body. ​
This Massage is also a dual therapy. The therapist and the parent(s) work together in giving the massage to the child. The therapist trains the parent(s) in giving a fun and simple form of the massage (15 minutes). This massage anchors the progress made in the therapy sessions and strengthens the parent-child bond.
How does it help children with Autism or sensory difficulties ?
As we know and as research proves, children with Austism frequently have great sensory challenges. We also know that certain children do have significant sensory difficulties. They don’t perceive their own body and their environment the same way the rest of the family does. Their sensory system is out of balance, their senses don’t work together. ​
The Massage Qigong’s main goal is to regulate the sensory functions of the child as best as possible. As a result, the sensory information from the skin, eyes, mouth, ears & body starts working together. The child can then make sense of his body and the world around him. He then becomes more curious and starts making good eye contact. From there, the child starts to pay more attention, is more relaxed and ready to participate in social situations. His global development can now start to flourish.
How the Massage Qigong came to the U.S. ?
The Massage Qigong was brougth to the U.S. by Dr. Louisa Silva, (MD). Dr. Silva has her Medical Degree from The University of California, has a Traditional Chinese Medicine Degree and has a Master in Public Health. Dr. Silva lives in Oregon (U.S.) and practices medicine with both Western and Eastern approaches.
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In 2000, the son of a close friend of her has received a diagnosis of Autism. She saw how it was very difficult for the child and her friend to cope with such. She also became aware of the great lack of effective, research-based treatment for such condition. She contacted her formed teacher and work partner: Dr. Anita Cignolini (MD) to learn more about a technique she had encountered in her practice. Dr. Anita Cignolini was the first Medical Doctor to bring Qigong outside of China. Dr. Silva based herself on the Qigong method of Dr. Cignolini in order to develop the Massage Qigong we know today. Dr. Silva's main goal in adapting the method was for the parents and the early intervention therapist to be able to reproduce the massage and be effective with such.​
Dr. Silva is very research oriented and wants every details of the Massage Qigong to undergo studies to prove the effectiveness of the technique.
Also, Dr. Silva has now received a generous grant for continuing her research on the Massage Qigong. There are presently 120 families with a child with Autism participating in this study (Oregon, U.S.).​