April 07, 2025
FORT WAYNE — GiGi’s Playhouse and Trine University’s Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program are partnering to provide infant massage training to parents of babies with Down syndrome.
GiGiFIT Infant classes will begin at 11 a.m. Friday, April 11, at the Fort Wayne location of GiGi’s Playhouse, 6081 N Clinton St.
The program is open to families with children from ages newborn to pre-walking.
“We are offering a series of six classes that families can attend to learn infant massage in addition to infant development education,” said Brenda Prosser, DrOT, doctoral capstone coordinator and assistant professor for Trine’s OTD program. “We will cover a variety of massage strokes, important play activities that support development, and benefits of infant massage, just to name a few.”
For more information or to register, contact GiGi’s Playhouse at (260) 482-7529 or visit gigisplayhouse.org/fortwayne/sfcalendar.
Came from brainstorming
Prosser, who has collaborated with GiGi’s Playhouse for about three years in various roles, said the idea for the program came out of discussions with staff there about programs that could benefit individuals with Down syndrome and their families.
With no programs currently being implemented at the location that target the infant population, Prosser said GiGi Infant will provide families a needed resource and an opportunity to network.
“I am a Certified Educator of Infant Massage (CEIM) and have a Neonatal Touch and Massage Certification (NTMC) and enjoy sharing infant massage education with parents,” she said. “This program will allow me to continue sharing that education and give parents a wonderful tool to support the development of their infant.”
Prosser will instruct parents, who will implement massage with their infant in class.
Trine University’s OTD students also will be involved.
“This program will provide students an opportunity to learn about infant massage and hopefully inspire them to seek additional training and certifications related to infant massage,” she said. “They will also assist with collecting data and educating parents on the various educational topics.”
Additional partnerships
GiGiFit Infant joins other partnerships between GiGi’s Playhouse and programs within Trine University’s that serve individuals with Down syndrome and their families.
Trine’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program partners with GiGi’s Playhouse to offer GiGiFit, a free fitness program, GiGiFIT. The program helps tone and strengthen muscles, as individuals with Down syndrome have hypotonia (low muscle tone).
GiGi’s Playhouse is a national organization with 61 locations that serve individuals with Down syndrome from birth through adulthood. Its mission is to change lives through consistent delivery of free educational, therapeutic and career development programs for participants and their families.
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