ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on one of QST’s most unique aspects – the guidance provided to parents in how to attune and adapt their touch techniques specifically to their child’s body and behavioral cues to enhance effectiveness with the technique. An extensive list of common non-verbal body and behavioral cues that parents can expect to see during the treatment is provided. Parents learn what to look for, listen to and how to interpret behaviors, then respond in the most effective manner. Typical responses such as humming, eye rubbing, discomfort around the ears, fingers or toes, ticklishness and various hand gestures and leg movements are highlighted. A quick reference chart helps parents distinguish between relaxed-and-related cues and those cues that indicate stress responses. A more detailed list advises which signals warrant greater focus and attention, which indicate escalating stress responses and how to respond to each. An ‘if/then’ format helps parents choose the best response depending on their child’s subsequent reaction. The overall goal is to improve the parent’s attunement skills and capacity for even greater sensitivity to often minor and easily-overlooked but essential body and behavioral signals.
