Can Qigong Massage Help Our Autistic Son? Our Honest First Impressions

We are always looking for ways to help our son navigate the world a little easier. Like many parents of autistic children, we spend a fair amount of time researching therapies, sensory tools, and holistic approaches that might support his development and comfort. As mentioned recently, we stumbled upon Qigong Massage and have been trying it out with our son.

It sounded fascinating, but we were cautious. Before diving into our personal experience, let's quickly cover what this actually is.

What is Qigong Sensory Treatment (QST)?

Qigong (pronounced "chee-gong") Massage, specifically the Qigong Sensory Treatment (QST) protocol for autism, is a touch-based therapy derived from traditional Chinese medicine. The core idea is that children with autism often have sensory systems that are either over-responsive or under-responsive. In Chinese medicine terms, this is seen as an energy blockage.

Proponents of QST believe that by applying specific massage techniques—mostly patting and pressing along specific meridians or energy channels—you can help clear these blockages. The goal is to normalize sensory processing for kids with autism. Studies suggest it can help improve sleep, reduce stress, increase social connection, and even improve digestion. For us, the promise of better sleep and a calmer sensory system was enough to give it a try.

Our Journey So Far

We decided to integrate the massage into our son's nightly routine. Bedtime seemed like the most logical place to start, a time when we are already trying to wind down and connect.

The massage itself is a series of specific movements, working from the head down to the feet. It takes about 15 minutes. We were nervous at first. Would he tolerate it? Would he push us away?

To our surprise, he accepted it. But it wasn't just passive acceptance. As we worked through the movements, especially the patting along his arms and legs, we noticed something distinct in his expression. He looked like he was feeling it. Not pain, and not ticklishness, but a deep sensory input he wasn't used to. His eyes would widen slightly, or he would pause his usual movements, almost as if he was listening to his own body for the first time in a while. It was as if he was processing a sensation that was totally unfamiliar to him.

Seeing him tune into his body like that felt like a small victory.

The "Regression" Phase?

However, the journey hasn't been a straight line to calmness. After about a week of consistent nightly massages, we noticed a shift we weren't expecting. Instead of being more relaxed during the day, he seemed a little more "out of it."

He wasn't as present as he usually is. More notably, his stimming (self-stimulatory behavior) increased significantly. He was vocalizing more and engaging in more repetitive movements than we had seen in months.

Naturally, as parents, our first instinct was worry. Did we mess something up? Is this making things worse?

We took a step back to think it through. It is entirely possible that this is a temporary reaction to his sensory system "waking up" or reorganizing. When you start moving energy or changing sensory input, things can get chaotic before they settle. It's also important to remember that correlation doesn't always equal causation. He could be fighting off a cold, dealing with a growth spurt, or reacting to a change in weather. There are a dozen invisible variables in our lives at any given moment.

Moving Forward

Despite the increase in stimming and that slightly disconnected demeanor this week, we aren't stopping. The profound way he reacted during the actual massage sessions—that look of discovering his own physical boundaries—stuck with us. It feels like there is something valuable here.

We are going to keep at it. We are committed to seeing this through for a longer period to see if things level out. Parenting a child with autism is rarely about quick fixes; it’s about patience, observation, and trial and error. We are hopeful that this bumpy week is just part of the process of finding a new balance.