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Cited by 293Infant Development and Preterm CareInfant Health and DevelopmentNeonatal skin health care

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 113 of the 117 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Massage for promoting growth and development of preterm and/or low birth-weight infants

Open access
Vickers, Andrew, Ohlsson, Arne, Lacy, Janet, Horsley, Angela·2004·Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
DOI 10.1002/14651858.cd000390.pub2PMC PMC6956667
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: It has been argued that infants in Neonatal Intensive Care Units are subject both to a highly stressful environment - continuous, high-intensity noise and bright light - and to a lack of the tactile stimulation that they would otherwise experience in the womb or in general mothering care. As massage seems to both decrease stress and provide tactile stimulation, it has been recommended as an intervention to promote growth and development of preterm and low-birth weight infants. OBJECTIVES: To determine whether preterm and/or low birth-weight infants exposed to massage experience improved weight gain and earlier discharge compared to infants receiving standard care; to determine whether massage has any other beneficial or harmful effects on this population. SEARCH STRATEGY: The following databases were searched: the specialized register of the Cochrane Neonatal Review Group and that of the Cochrane Complementary Medicine Field. Searches were also undertaken of the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL, The Cochrane Library, Issue 3, 2003), MEDLINE, EMBASE, Psychlit, CINAHL and Dissertation Abstracts International (up to July 1, 2003). Further references were obtained by citation tracking, checking personal files and by correspondence with appropriate experts. Data provided in published reports was supplemented by information obtained by correspondence with authors. There were no language restrictions. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised trials in which infants with gestational age at birth <37 weeks or weight at birth <2500g received systematic tactile stimulation by human hands. At least one outcome assessing weight gain, length of stay, behaviour or development must be reported. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Data extracted from each trial were baseline characteristics of sample, weight gain, length of stay and behavioural and developmental outcomes. Physiological and biochemical outcomes were not recorded. Data were extracted by three reviewers independently. Statistical analysis was conducted using the standard Cochrane Collaboration methods. MAIN RESULTS: Massage interventions improved daily weight gain by 5.1g (95% CI 3.5, 6.7g). There is no evidence that gentle, still touch is of benefit (increase in daily weight gain 0.2g; 95% CI -1.2, 1.6g). Massage interventions also appeared to reduce length of stay by 4.5 days (95% CI 2.4, 6.5) though there are methodological concerns about the blinding of this outcome. There was also some evidence that massage interventions have a slight, positive effect on postnatal complications and weight at 4 - 6 months. However, serious concerns about the methodological quality of the included studies, particularly with respect to selective reporting of outcomes, weaken credibility in these findings. REVIEWERS' CONCLUSIONS: Evidence that massage for preterm infants is of benefit for developmental outcomes is weak and does not warrant wider use of preterm infant massage. Where massage is currently provided by nurses, consideration should be given as to whether this is a cost-effective use of time. Future research should assess the effects of massage interventions on clinical outcome measures, such as medical complications or length of stay, and on process-of-care outcomes, such as care-giver or parental satisfaction.

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  1. Field, 1987, Massage of preterm newborns to improve growth and development, Paediatric Nursing, 13, 385
  2. White Traut RC Maternal-infant interaction as a function of maternal stimulation of the premature infant initiated at twenty-four hours of infant age Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation, Rush University, Chicago 1983
  3. Adamson Macedo, 1991, Stroking, emotion and cognition: 11 years on, Association of Paediatric Chartered Physiotherapists Newsletter, 60, 6
  4. Armstrong, 1996, Infant/parent interaction analysis and developmental outcome for a high risk premature intervention population: a longitudinal analysis, Dissertation Abstracts International, 57, 3688
  5. Barnard KE The effect of stimulation on the duration and amount of sleep and wakefulness in the premature infant Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Washington 1978
  6. Cody, 1995, The effects of infant massage on the attitudes and perceptions of mothers who massage their hospitalized premature infants, Dissertation Abstracts International, 56, 2858
  7. Crusco, 1990, An investigation of tactile/kinesthetic stimulation as an intervention to improve physiological indices of development of preterm infants, Dissertation Abstracts International, 51, 979
  8. de Roiste Aspects of tactile stimulation with infants in intensive and special care baby units PhD thesis, University of Glasgow, Scotland. 1991
  9. Freeman, 1970, The effects of interpersonal stimulation on growth and development of premature infants, Dissertation Abstracts International, 31, 2982
  10. Hasselmeyer, 1963, Handling and premature infant behaviour, Dissertation Abstracts International, 24, 2874
  11. Kalscheur, 1985, Analysis of movement of high-risk premature infants in response to tactile stimulation, Masters Abstracts International, 23, 282
  12. Kassis NI Extra-tactile kinesthetic stimulation and the toleration of stress in hospitalised infants UCLA Nursing Dissertation 1967
  13. Kilgo, 1986, Tactile-kinesthetic stimulation: Effect on the development of preterm infants and the anxiety level of the mothers implementing the stimulation, Dissertation Abstracts International, 47, 836
  14. Mansy G The effects of extra-tactile stimulation on some aspects of the growth and development of premature infants UCLA Nursing Dissertation 1967
  15. Marshall, 1990, Holding and rocking the full-term neonate: the immediate and residual effects on behavioural state and heart rate, Dissertation Abstracts International, 51, 1015
  16. Sampers JL The effects of tactile containment on preterm infants in a neonatal intensive care unit Unpublished: Doctoral dissertation, University of Maryland College Park 1993 Doctoral dissertation, University of Maryland College Park 1993 AAC9425128
  17. Siqueland, 1973, Biological and Experiential Determinants of Exploration in Infancy
  18. Tribotti, 1990, Effects of gentle touch on premature infants
  19. Weiss, 1991, Psychophysiologic and behavioral effects of tactile stimulation on infants at-risk from nervous system arousal, Dissertation Abstracts International, 51, 4077
  20. Wright, 1971, The theoretical and research base for a program of early stimulation care and training of premature infants, 2, 276
  21. Barnard, 1978, Nursing child assessment feeding scale
  22. Brazleton, 1983, Neonatal behvaioural assessment scale
  23. Brazy, 1985, Brazy perinatal biological scoring system
  24. Thoman, 1975, Early development of sleeping behaviors in infants, 123
  25. Vickers, 2000, Massage therapy for preterm and/or low birth-weight infants, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 10.1002/14651858.CD000390.pub2

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Metadata

Authors
Vickers, A., Ohlsson, A., Lacy, J., & Horsley, A.
Affiliations
  • Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (US)
  • University of Toronto (CA)
  • Scarborough Health Network (CA)
  • 7 Biggart Close Manor Park Chilwell Nottingham UK NG9 6NN
ORCID
Venue
Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2004-04-19
Volume
2009
Issue
1
Pages
CD000390-CD000390
ISSN
  • 1361-6137 (ISSN-L)
  • 1465-1858
DOI
10.1002/14651858.cd000390.pub2
PMC
PMC6956667
OpenAlex
W1733579415
Cited by
293
References
117
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 17 · 2021: 16 · 2020: 15 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 15 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 13 · 2015: 21 · 2014: 8 · 2013: 20 · 2012: 14
FWCI
1.65
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Infant Development and Preterm Care
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Infant Health and Development
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Neonatal skin health care
Keywords
infant massage, preterm infants, low birth weight infants, tactile stimulation, infant weight gain, length of hospital stay, neonatal intensive care, infant development, infant behavior, gentle touch, neonatal stress, hospital discharge, postpartum complications, gestational age, birth weight, neonatal nutrition
MeSH terms
Humans, Infant Care, Infant, Low Birth Weight, Infant, Newborn, Infant, Premature, Massage, Physical Stimulation, Weight Gain

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