Business & Tech

Pediatric Massage From Fawn Harmon

Mercer Island Licensed Massage Therapist Fawn Harmon is helping foster kids and other very young children bond with their parents by teaching them gentle healing massage techniques.

Two-year-old Olivia Grant is lying calmly quiescent on her back, listening to her grandmother, Joan Messinger, her mother Eva Grant and sing “The Itsy Bitsy Spider” in soothing harmony while Fawn gently rubs Olivia’s feet and legs in circular motions with safflower oil. “This is as still as I’ve seen her in two years,” said mom Eva. “I feel like I’m in the Twilight Zone, because this isn’t normal for her…she’s a spirited child who has so much energy and such a short attention span that we can’t take her to a restaurant because she can’t sit still…she’s a ‘type A’ personality.”

“Olivia has no shortage of love and attention,” adds Fawn Harmon, as she proceeds to show mom and grandma the abdominal massage that will aid Olivia’s digestion and elimination. “But she needs to slow down, relax and give her parents some quiet time to bond with her.”

Harmon believes that young children greatly benefit from massage given by their parents or guardians either before or after bathing and bedtime each day, as it allows them to create a loving bond with their parents, and also aids in building feelings of security and trust. “Trauma in a child’s life, such as a breech birth, neglect or abuse can cause lifelong emotional problems unless you deal with them early,” said Harmon. “Massage benefits children emotionally and physically, by improving circulation, immunity to colds, elimination, improving sleep patterns, overcoming hiccups and helping children feel loved and secure.”

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

A Coeur D’Alene, ID native, Harmon moved to Bellevue in 1992 to be closer to her children who had gone to college on the west coast. As a licensed massage therapist for 30 years, Harmon was the first for-profit business to land in the building that housed the on First Hill 14 years ago. The building was sold several months ago and is now being renovated, so Harmon relocated to her present location at the  on Island Crest Way.

"The remodel wasn’t compatible with my massage business, because I need quiet for my clients,” said Harmon. “We all moved into this updated environment 2 months ago.”

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

A grandmother who’d always enjoyed helping parents learn to give pediatric massage, Harmon was wondering how to give back to the community when she discovered that some friends from her church had become foster parents to a couple of toddlers.

“I remembered that commercial for Sleep Country that said that while not everyone can be a foster parent, anyone can help a foster child, and I realized the benefits of using massage to help foster children would be immediate and tangible,” said Harmon.

“We needed help, and our experience with Fawn was amazing,” said Wes Shriner, a foster parent from Bellevue. “These two foster toddlers had already faced some tough times in their little lives, and we wanted to teach them love and trust—Fawn offered us a free hour-long infant massage session in her calm spa setting and she took the time to teach us techniques to take home and add to our parenting toolbox.”

Noting that his only regret is that he didn’t do it sooner, Shriner said that one of the toddlers has anger issues and the other was disconnecting from others out of fear.

“Their initial method of interaction was to scream until they got what they needed,” he said. “Now they’ve both learned to react peacefully and communicate their needs calmly; Fawn taught us techniques to build physical bridges with positive touch to repair some of that emotional brokenness.” 

An added benefit has been seeing the foster toddlers get to sleep at a reasonable hour with an after-bath massage of around 10-15 minutes. Parents say they found their children’s sleep and attitude had improved. 

Sept. 24 is National Foster Child Awareness Day, and Fawn Harmon is seeking other foster parents of children ages infant to 8 years old, who would like a couple of free massage therapy sessions for their foster children.

“I love children, and as a grandmother, it’s such a blessing to me to be able to help young children overcome their challenges and feel loved.” 

A Few of Fawn Harmon’s Tips for In-Home Pediatric Massage

  1. Create a quiet, warm environment, with only soft music in the background. Massage is ideal following the evening bath or before bedtime.
  2. Use pillows and soft toys to help relax the child, and it is recommended that you use an oil that is fragrance-free and edible, (not petroleum based, like baby oil) in case the child puts their hands in their mouth. Safflower oil is a good choice.
  3. Ask permission before proceeding, and wait until they are ready, beginning with a game like ‘peek-a-boo’ and then explain each massage you are doing.
  4. Undress the child down to their diaper; begin massaging their hands and feet with a small amount of oil. Use gentle but firm touch, and do not tickle your child.
  5. Be careful not to push directly on a child’s spine or push hard on their soft spot on the top of their head.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from Mercer Island