What are paraffin boots and how are they made in childhood?

Unfortunately, today many more children are born with various health problems than at the end of the last century.

Already at birth, doctors stun the young mother with the news that her baby has physical health problems. Even though sometimes they are frivolous, but mom has already screwed herself up so much that you wouldn’t wish it on your enemy.

A huge proportion of these children are children with problems of the musculoskeletal system, who have strong tone in the legs or arms. Not to mention those children whom doctors give a terrible diagnosis - cerebral palsy (cerebral palsy) with paresis of various types, often with increased tone.

It is not always possible to undergo physical treatment in a medical institution (queues, paid services, etc.), so we will learn how to make paraffin boots for children at home.

What is special about paraffin therapy?

Today, paraffin therapy (treatment using paraffin) is actively prescribed by orthopedic doctors who are adherents of traditional medicine, but do not reject popular recommendations.

In combination with medications and physiotherapy carried out by specialists, home paraffin therapy works wonders, bringing not only relief to the little patient, but also the opportunity to get rid of the problem forever.

Paraffin therapy - the OBS method (“one grandmother said”) or the “grandmother’s” method, tested on many generations of children, is still actively used today in the treatment of small patients at home with varying severity of diseases of the musculoskeletal system, including cerebral palsy.

The main healers who use paraffin therapy are the parents of the baby who requires immediate treatment.

In addition to paraffin boots, they also make paraffin mittens and warming compresses (for example, for bronchitis and ARVI WITHOUT raising the TEMPERATURE). It all depends on what is bothering the baby.

The main properties of paraffin that allow it to be used for treatment:

• latent heat, that is, compression effect;
• very low thermal conductivity.

Massage for babies with paraffin

Massage is a procedure that is recommended for all young children without exception. General massage is carried out for the development of the child and strengthening the body as a whole, and therapeutic massage is necessary for the treatment of various diseases of the infant’s musculoskeletal system.

One of the therapeutic massages is paraffin massage. Paraffin applications warm up the child's body well, thus increasing the effect of the massage. Thanks to this procedure, blood circulation in the tissues improves, muscles relax, and the development of the entire body is normalized.

Benefit

Paraffin is a substance made from solid carbohydrates that resembles wax. It has been used for beauty and health for many years; paraffin applications are effective for joint pain, colds and muscle strains, and also help smooth out the skin and normalize its nutrition.

Child on paraffin massage

The main property of paraffin, which helps in the treatment of various diseases, is the ability to retain heat for a long time and gradually release it to the human body. In addition, paraffin is made from natural substances; it does not harm the body, so it can be indicated even for the smallest children.

If the baby has increased muscle tone, he throws his head back, constantly cries and is afraid of everything, then the doctor may prescribe a massage with paraffin applications for the baby. Paraffin will help relax cramped muscles and improve blood circulation in them.

If paraffin is heated and applied to the desired part of the body, the substance gives off heat to the skin, muscles and internal organs for a long time and evenly. As a result, the muscles relax, the child can breathe normally, sleep, and stops being capricious. Blood microcirculation improves, as does metabolism, as a result, all tissues in the area of ​​influence begin to nourish and develop well.

Paraffin does not enter the child's body through the skin, so it cannot provoke allergic reactions or make the skin too dry. The effect of the procedure occurs immediately; many parents note that their baby began to sleep better and stopped crying for no reason.

To improve the effect of paraffin, you need to massage after the procedure. If muscle hypertonicity is observed, then the movements should be soft and relaxing.

Paraffin massage provides the following beneficial effects:

• The muscles relax, hypertonicity goes away;
• Inflammation goes away;
• The pain goes away;
• The rate of tissue repair increases;
• The nervous system functions better;
• Tissue nutrition improves.

But for paraffin massage to be useful for children under one year old, you must consult with a specialist, and also pay attention to how to properly carry out the procedure and what contraindications it has.

Indications

Massage for infants with paraffin is prescribed mainly for disorders of muscle tone. Normally, in the first 2 months of life, a child experiences increased tone, which is associated with developmental characteristics in the womb. The baby seems tense, clenching his fists all the time and bending his legs.

Baby massage

By 3 months, muscle tone is completely normalized, the baby begins to hold his head independently due to muscle strength and gradually develops. But it also happens that the muscles remain in good shape even after 3-6 months. This prevents the child from developing normally, he turns over late, sits up and takes his first steps.

Such disorders can affect the child’s later life if they are not treated in infancy. That is why pediatricians and orthopedists prescribe a massage for the baby, which will help remove muscle hypertonicity, which will allow the child to grow and develop normally, according to his age.

Paraffin massage may also be indicated in the following cases for children over one year of age:

• For sprains, bruises of soft tissues;
• For bronchitis and pneumonia;
• For diseases of the bladder and biliary tract.

Contraindications

Paraffin massage for newborns and older children is contraindicated in the following cases:

• In the presence of a malignant tumor;
• With vascular thrombosis;
• At elevated body temperature;
• If you have a tendency to bleed;
• If the integrity of the skin in the affected area is damaged;
• With an inflammatory process in the body;
• With tissue suppuration;
• Tuberculosis is also a contraindication;
• Serious heart pathologies;
• Pathologies of bones and joints;
• With severe exhaustion of the body;
• For diabetes mellitus.

Massage with paarfin in the presence of contraindications can lead to serious consequences, so before the procedure you need to show the child to a doctor and make sure that there are no contraindications.

It is also worth noting that it is better not to carry out such procedures in hot weather, so as not to cause the child to overheat. And if paraffin treatment is carried out in a clinic, the child cannot be taken outside for at least 1.5 hours, otherwise the effect of the treatment will be small. In addition, after paraffin applications, a child can easily catch a cold.

Technique

It is very important to carry out the procedure correctly so as not to harm the baby. It is best if paraffin applications and massage are performed by a specialist; the effect of such treatment is better, since the doctor has an effective massage technique. You can also perform the procedure and light massage at home.

Warming up the paraffin

Rules for performing paraffin applications for children under 2 years old.

First you need to properly heat the paraffin. To do this, a piece of the substance is placed in a bowl and heated in a water bath to 100 degrees. Then the liquid paraffin must be cooled to approximately 50 degrees. Paraffin can be stirred with a wooden spoon or stick, and under no circumstances should water get into it when heating.

Before the procedure, the child must be washed, the skin must be clean, so no creams or body oils can be used. The child is undressed and placed on a clean diaper. It is better to place an oilcloth under the diaper, even if the child is wearing a diaper, so as not to stain the furniture with paraffin.

Apply paraffin to the baby's legs or neck, depending on the doctor's prescription. The most convenient way to do this is with a brush.

You need to apply several layers of the substance, then wrap the baby in a diaper and a warm blanket. You need to keep the paraffin for 20 minutes, sometimes the doctor prescribes a longer time, it all depends on the age of the child and the diagnosis.

After the time has expired, it is necessary to remove the paraffin and clean the skin of its remnants with a clean cloth. After which, for the best effect, you need to conduct a session of therapeutic or general massage, depending on the specialist’s appointment.

The same paraffin can be used repeatedly. Usually one piece is enough for a course of treatment.

Therapeutic massage can only be performed by a professional; this type of massage is not recommended for parents without special training. At home, it is allowed to stroke and lightly knead the skin. But it is worth remembering that with increased tone, you cannot make too active movements and put pressure on the skin; the massage must be done very gently in order to relax the child’s body.

When performing a massage with paraffin for infants at home, you need to put the baby on his back and stroke his legs, then turn him over and stroke his back, the last step is to work on the chest and abdomen. You can finish the massage with a light warm-up; for this you need to bend and straighten your legs and arms 3-5 times.

Peculiarities

Children in the first year of life are still quite fragile; the baby can easily be harmed by improper treatment, so in no case is it recommended to prescribe a paraffin massage on your own. This procedure should only be prescribed by a doctor if the child has indications.

It is also worth noting that only special medical paraffin is used for the procedure, which is sold in specialized stores and pharmacies. Paraffin should be light and free of impurities, and not have any unpleasant odors. You cannot use candles for the procedure, as well as yellow, unrefined paraffin, as this can harm the child.

Also often used for massage with paraffin is a mixture of paraffin and ozokerite. Ozokerite contains beneficial minerals that penetrate the skin and speed up recovery, it is dark in color and is sold in pharmacies. You can use paraffin with ozokerite only after consultation with a specialist.

Source: https://feet.propto.ru/article/massazh-dlya-grudnichkov-s-parafinom

Indications for paraffin therapy

One of the most common problems of the present time is congenital hypertonicity of the limbs. Moreover, all four limbs (legs and arms) and any one limb, both an arm and a leg, can be affected.

It is known that paraffin is an effective remedy for the treatment and prevention of many diseases in children:

• damage to the musculoskeletal system (dysplasia, hallux valgus, clubfoot, etc.);
• neuralgia;
• hypertonicity of the muscles of the arms and legs;
• bronchitis, ARVI without fever (in this case, the paraffin mixture is applied in the same way as a regular mustard plaster);
• with an inflammatory process without suppuration;
• consequences of injuries/bruises/sprains;
• spastic muscle paresis in newborns.

The paraffin mixture is applied only to the affected area.

First-time new parents should only do this procedure under the supervision of an experienced physical therapist.

Paraffin boots

Most often, paraffin boots are the first treatment procedure involving the use of paraffin that is prescribed to a child.

• They are usually prescribed by neurologists to children from the first months of life with increased muscle tone in the feet and legs.
• In older children, this procedure can be used for a runny nose, instead of mustard socks or hot foot baths.
• A paraffin boot may be prescribed for one leg after injuries to the foot or ankle joint.

For boots, paraffin is prepared in the same way as described above. You will need two identical pieces of paraffin (ozokerite), such as to wrap the child’s legs from the tips of the fingers to the knees. Paraffin cakes are applied to the back surface of the shin starting from the popliteal fossa. And then the ends of the cake are folded onto the front surface of the lower leg and foot. The foot is completely wrapped in paraffin, it looks like a boot. On top of the paraffin, the leg is wrapped in cellophane or oilcloth. It is convenient to wear elastic socks over the cellophane that are larger than the child’s size (mother’s or father’s). They reach the child up to the knee, and even higher, and hold the paraffin well. To fix the paraffin, you can use an elastic mesh bandage. Then the legs can be wrapped in a diaper or put on top of dad’s or mom’s woolen socks.

This is also important

1. After paraffin therapy, you should not go outside for a long time. About five hours.
2. You cannot bathe your child for five hours after warming up.
3. The temperature of hot paraffin should not be higher than 42 degrees. You can check it with your wrist - whether it burns or not.
4. If the child asks to drink during the procedure, this is normal and water should be given.
5. The paraffin boot/mitten/bath procedure can be performed daily.

Making paraffin boots

To make paraffin boots you need to take:

• 2 saucepans of different sizes for melting paraffin in a water bath,
• 1 jar of paraffin or ozokerite. It is allowed to mix the two components in a ratio of 1 to 1,
• a piece of gauze
• scissors,
• packaging film or polyethylene,
• long warm socks.

You should prepare wide and long layers of gauze that are folded in three or four.
The paraffin is placed in a saucepan, the volume of which is smaller, water is filled into a large saucepan, and it is placed on low heat. Do not melt paraffin directly or in a microwave, as this may result in unexpected fireworks. You need to make sure that no water droplets get on the paraffin, otherwise it will start to “shoot”. When the paraffin melts, you need to completely immerse the gauze in it so that it can soak well. Then, to make paraffin boots, the gauze needs to be removed, straightened and laid out on a plate or baking sheet to cool. Before you start applying fabric to the child’s leg, you need to do a test on the bend of the elbow to eliminate the possibility of skin burns. The fabric should not be too hot.

Gauze is wrapped around the required area, it is wrapped around it in several layers. If you need to make paraffin boots for the entire leg, then you should start with the foot - the toes, arch of the foot to the heel of the child are covered with one piece of gauze, then the next piece of gauze is applied to the lower leg. The knee is passed through, then the fabric is placed on the thigh - above the knee. The gauze must be wound tightly so that the fabric cannot slide off as the child moves.

The top of the paraffin boots is wrapped in a plastic bag or packaging film, due to which the paraffin will cool more slowly, and a warm sock is put on top. If the baby does not refuse to lie under a warm blanket for 10-20 minutes, then the legs can be covered with a blanket.

The essence of the method

When hardened, paraffin releases a lot of heat (for an hour or more), decreases in volume, tightening the skin, thereby warming the tissues deeply enough and having a positive effect on the organs located near the treatment site. When heated with paraffin, tense muscles begin to gradually relax, which accelerates the process of resorption of inflamed lesions.

For children older than one year, paraffin therapy is prescribed for diseases associated with breathing:

• bronchitis;
• tracheitis;
• pneumonia;
• cough.

The mixture is applied in the same way as mustard plasters. If the child suffers from bladder diseases, then the application is done on the lower abdomen. It is also recommended to use paraffin boots, which are easily made at home. This method is very popular for the treatment of many ailments, especially childhood neuralgia.