Would a free infant massage course help your special needs child?

CIT's Skills for Carers are offering a free, hands-on-program for parents (or family carers) who want to learn how to massage their baby who has additional needs. This includes babies with medical conditions or illnesses, those who depend on medical equipment, babies with disabilities or impairments, as well as those who have had additional struggles or a rough start early in life resulting in them needing some extra care of some sort. There is no requirement for a formal disability diagnosis - if your baby has additional or special needs, get in contact with organisers to book your place!

Benefits of Infant Massage include:

• Improved attachment and bonding
• Better sleep patterns
• Improved muscle tone, weight gain
• and physical coordination
• Settled moods
• Improved understanding of baby’s
• communication cues and signals
• Improved digestion
• Improved emotional development and social skills
• Reduced sense of depression and
• isolation for new parents
• Improved parenting confidence

The benefits of infant massage can be particularly important for babies with a disability, and their parents.

This program is a practical workshop for parents and carers of babies and young children who are not yet walking.
It is delivered by an Infant Massage Instructor certified by the International Association of Infant Massage. The program is available to parents until June 2010, either one-on-one or in a group, depending on your needs.

To register, or for further details contact CIT Skills for Carers on 6207 3628 or CarerSkills@cit.act.edu.au