Top Tips for Children with Lymphedema
Children with Lymphedema Yahoo Group
It's always going to be different for every child, but things that
1. Not being too cautious. It helps my son's confidence if he can dothe things his friends are doing, so let them take a few risks if you can
2. Keeping skin in good condition. We Aqueous cream night and morning -in the UK you can get a huge tub on prescription. You can also useit to wash with if skin gets dry. We also put emollient in the bath
3. Going swimming - like a gentle all-over massage
4. Trampolining (for lower limb LE)
5. Using SLD (simple lymphatic drainage) between MLD sessions
6. Sharing info with your child's teacher/school. As well as knowingwhat to do if your child gets hurt, teachers can help in other ways.For instance, my son was worried about other kids lookingat/commenting on his big leg/support hosiery in PE. His teacherexplained to the whole class about LE and why he wears a stocking.The other kids took it all on board and don't make an issue of it anymore
7. Doing things to make LE less of a bind and helping them feel a bitmore in control. Things like choosing own colour of stockings, havinga few hours without the stocking sometimes (maybe if they want tostay in pyjamas in the morning at the weekend), choosing a favouritestory to take along to MLD, having time off school for MLD instead ofgoing after school, having a special day together when you go to theclinic - like going to a film or having lunch out
Special Thanks to member and mom Katherine
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SELF MASSAGE FOR CHILDREN'S ARM LYMPHEDEMA
SELF MASSAGE FOR THE UPPER EXTREMITY
Massage slowly, approx. one cycle per second-
Massage gently, approx. the pressure when stroking a cat-
Use the entire surface of the hand when massaging. Avoid digging inwith your fingers.-
Perform the entire massage in the sequence as specified in this handout.
SEQUENCE OF MASSAGE
1. Apply circular motions to both sides of the throat, in thetriangular space just above the collarbone. Repeat 25x (I was told todo in sets of 5)
2. Apply circular motions to both underarms. First to the uninvolvedside, then to the involved side. Repeat 25x each side.
3. Glide the hand across the from the involved underarm to theunivolved underarm, in this direction only. Repeat 10x
4. Apply circular motions to the groin of the involved side pumping inan upward direction. Repeat 25x
5. Glide the hand from the involved underarm to the groin on the sameside of the throat, in this direction only. Reapeat 10x
6. Glide the hand from the involved shoulder to the same side of thethroat, in this direction only. Repeat 10x
7. Glide the hand from the elbow to the shoulder in three patterns:a. from the front of the upper armb. from the back of the upper armc. from the inside of the upper arm in a spiral motion to theoutside of the shoulder
8. Apply circular motion to the front & the back of the elbow. Repeateach side 25x
9. Glide hand from the involved wrist to the elbow, first to the frontside, then to the backside.10. Glide hand from the base of the fingers to the wrist, in thisdirection only. If the fingers are affected (Mia's are), massage eachfinger individually from the fingertip to the base. Repeat each 10x
The BEST advice the LT gave me was ~ stroke Mia as if softly petting acat. That is the easiest way to understand how much pressure touse/not to use.
Hope this helps! Stephanie
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