Massage and touch therapy in neonates: The current evidence

Abstract

Infant massage was first introduced in China in 2nd century BC. Massaging the newborn has been a tradition in India and other Asian countries since time immemorial. Various oil-based preparations have been used depending on the regional availability. There has been a recent surge in this ancient art particularly as a therapy among parents and professionals in the Western world. Evidence exists supporting the benefits of touch and massage therapy. We reviewed the literature to look at the various techniques of providing massage, its benefits, possible mechanism of action and adverse effects. The review suggests that massage has several positive effects in terms of weight gain, better sleep-wake pattern, enhanced neuromotor development, better emotional bonding, reduced rates of nosocomial infection and thereby, reduced mortality in the hospitalized patients. Many studies have described the technique and frequency of this procedure. Massage was found to be more useful when some kind of lubricant oil was used. Harmful effects like physical injury and increased risk of infection were encountered when performed inappropriately. The review also discusses the different hypotheses put forward regarding the mechanism of action. As of now there are very few studies describing the long term impact of neonatal massage.

Effect of applying massage therapy on physical, physiological and behavioral states of premature neonates

“…Massage therapy technique as a noninvasive procedure has positive effect on physical and developmental growth of premature neonates including weight gain improved sleep, reduced rates of nosocomial infec-tion and decreased mortality of infants during hospitalization. [17,18] Therefore, this study was aimed to evaluate the effect of applying massage therapy on physical, physiological and behavioral states of premature neonates.…”

“…[6] Furthermore, the current NICUs efforts for modifying the premature neonates' environment focuses on moderate pressure massage of physiologically stable premature neonates and firm/moderate pressure stroking. [7,8] Consequently, massage has been proposed as a way of facilitating development and growth of neonates through its effects on increasing their blood flow, heart rate, digestion, and immunity. [9] Massage might increase basal metabolism and nutrient absorption through endocrine effects such as increase in insulin and adrenaline, and decrease in cortisol, also has a significant impact on weight gain with shortening of hospital stay of up to 6 days.…”

Baby Spa and Baby Sleep Quality Improvement

“…This proves that infant SPAs performed with 3-day pauses more effectively improve the quality of baby's sleep. This is because the Infant Spa specifically stimulates motor, improves sleep quality, and relaxation (Kulkarni, et al, 2010).…”

Development of an Evidence-Based Guideline for Preterm Infant Massage by Parents

“…Thus, increased handling during infant massage may increase the chances of bringing in foreign germs into the incubator, which might lead to infection [29]. Hand washing and environmental hygiene should be promoted and emphasized to minimize the risk of infection related to increased infant handling [30].…”