There’s a lot of buzz about that coloured tape now with Wimbledon and the Olympics approaching.  I am a certified Kinesio® Taping practitioner and have been using it to improve children’s body alignment, movement patterns, and muscle activation for motor skills development since 2003.  Being quite accident prone myself, I personally use it on myself for relief and to get up and moving again.

I have used taping for babies to older children, and have found it to be a fantastic adjunct to my Occupational Therapy sessions. It has been so helpful to have an understanding about development, children’s motor skills, and specifically, little bodies and then apply kinesio tape accordingly.  I have often used kinesio taping for babies who are struggling to reach their milesontes, and young children with hemiplegia, Erb’s Palsy, Down’s syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, and general low muscle tone although it can be used for any motor impairments.

Taping is a skill and must be applied correctly according to the child’s desired goals.  It is important to have Kinesio Taping done by somebody who has been properly trained, particularly for pediatrics.

For more, please see www.ot4kids.co.uk/kinesio-taping.

Last year, I wrote an article for PediaStaff which can be viewed here:

http://www.pediastaff.com/resources-a-look-at-kinesio®-taping-featured-may-26-2011

 

PARENT BLOGS-It’s always helpful to hear how other parents have found a treatment technique. Have a look at these blog posts.

Erb’s Palsy-

http://jadonsjourney2009.blogspot.co.uk/2010/10/kinesio-taping-success.html

 

Down’s Syndrome-

http://jendawnscowgirlup.blogspot.co.uk/2011/10/31-for-21-day-20-kicking-it-olympic.html

http://teal915.blogspot.co.uk/2011/10/kinesio-tape-for-baby-with-down.html

 

Cerebral Palsy-

http://cerebralpalsybaby.blogspot.co.uk/2006/05/kinesio-tape.html

http://cerebralpalsybaby.blogspot.co.uk/2006/05/kinesio-photos.html

http://www.octamom.com/2009/04/kinesiotape-baby.html

 

Parents’ Feedback about Kinesio Taping-

https://www.facebook.com/MommiesofMiracles/posts/344423925624665

 

ARTICLES:

Tales of the Tape – pediatric case studies

http://physical-therapy.advanceweb.com/Features/Articles/Tales-of-the-Tape.aspx

 

Uses of Athletic Tape-

http://physical-therapy.advanceweb.com/Features/Articles/New-Uses-for-Athletic-Taping.aspx

 

Taping in an Acute Pediatric Setting-

http://tapingbase.net/sites/default/files/level_4___pilot_study_investigating_the_effects_of_kinesio_taping_in_an_acute_pediatric_rehabilitation_setting._0.pdf

 

Taping for Abdominal Muscles-

http://www.advancemed.co.il/userfiles/file/kinesio/research/kinesio-taping-for-abdominal-muscl.pdf

 

Treatment of Brachial Plexus Injury using Kinesio Tape and Exercise –

http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.3109/09593980903578872

 

For very good articles with pictures on Kinesio® Taping for children with Brachial Plexus Injuries, check out the Outreach Magazine Spring 2005 Issue, Pages 8-10, as well as Outreach Magazine Fall / Winter 2005, Pages 8-9.