East End Field Trip Assignment

Paul and Adrian

We attended the East End Community Centre on October 28th 2014 to participate in infancy massage.
We each had a patient and alternated treatment and health history responsibilities. The East End
Community Centre mission is to use their team of health care professionals to work in partnership with
individuals, families, and community groups who have difficulty accessing health care to promote health
and well-being for everyone (East End Community Health Centre).

My patient was a 4 month old male infant who was in good health with no presenting issues. His health
history revealed no past history or family history of any cautions or counterindications to any form of
treatment. He was very alert and kicked and swung his legs and arm throughout treatment and made
many positive and inquisitive sounds with continual eye contact. His mother did not have any questions
or show any interest in learning about the treatment or its purpose but was pleased by it.

After gaining consent for treatment and consent to remove the patients clothing the mother aided me
in disrobing the patient and he was placed in a supine position on the cushion. I preformed stroking and
effleurage to the patients arms and legs which was met with mild enthusiasm occasional drawing frowns
and arm abduction. I proceeded to preform stroking and effleurage to the abdomen which was met
with a more positive response including smiling, giggling, and excited kicking of the legs. I alternated
between the abdomen and leg pumping which had the more positive results, occasionally returning to
stroking and effleurage on the arms and legs. With all techniques I started with light pressure and only
proceeded to moderate on the abdomen. The outcomes of treatment were to promote acceptance,
improved temperament, motor activity, and responsiveness.

My thoughts on working with this population are although infant massage was an interesting experience
I did not feel like I gained much relevant knowledge of experience for my role in the massage therapy
profession. I do not plan to work very much with this population once registered and practicing.

Physical development of my patient should be at the stage of developing rooting, stepping, and
swimming reflexes. Motor development should be at the stage of being able to roll over and grasp at
objects. Cognitive development should be in sensorimotor development stage, substage 2: beginning to
coordinate in which separate actions are becoming integrated actions and he should be starting to move
into substage 3: secondary circular reactions, becoming more aware of the world (Table 3-4, p.105). At
this stage he is also engaged in prelingustic communication using only sounds and gestures. Social
development should be at the stage where he has begun to develop basic trust vs mistrust and starting
to laugh in response to active stimuli. He seemed to express a secure attachment pattern with his
mother and an easy temperament pattern in his interaction with his environment.

East End Field Trip Assignment

Paul and Adrian

Reference List
Feldman, R. (2014). Infancy. In Discovering the Lifespan (p. 104). Toronto: Oraine Landry.