Browse > Article

The Effect of Infant Massage on Weight Gain, Physiological and Behavioral Responses in Premature Infants  

Lee Hae-kyung (Department of Nursing, Medical College, Kangwon National University)
Publication Information
Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing / v.35, no.8, 2005 , pp. 1451-1460 More about this Journal
Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the premature infants' responses to infant massage (tactile and kinesthetic stimulation). These responses measured by weight, physiological (vagal tone, heart rate, oxygen saturation) and behavioral responses (behavioral states, motor activities, and behavioral distress). Methods. This study was conducted using an equivalent control pretest-posttest design. The sample was divided into two groups of 13 infants with gestational age less than 36 weeks at birth, birth weight less than 2000g, and no congenital anomalies. The experimental group received the massage intervention twice daily for 10 days. The data were collected for 10 minutes prior to and 10 minutes after the massage. Results. The vagal tone was significantly higher after massage than before massage in the experimental group, while no change in the control group. The experimental group had significantly higher scores for awake state and motor activity than the control group. Significantly greater awake state, more fidgeting or crying, and increased motor activity were reported after massage than before massage. Conclusions. The results of this study showed that massage therapy might enhance optimal physiological responses and behavioral organization of premature infants. Nursing staff in the NICU can use massage to promote the infant's capability to respond positively to his environment and to provide developmental support for healthy premature infants.
Keywords
Massage; Body weight; Infant behavior; Infant; premature;
Citations & Related Records
연도 인용수 순위
  • Reference
1 Brandon, D. H., Holditch-Davis, D., & Beylea, M. (1999). Nursing care and the development of sleeping and waking behaviors in preterm infants. Res Nur Health, 22, 217-229   DOI   ScienceOn
2 Dieter, J. N. I., Field, T., Hernandez-Reif, M., Emory, E. K., & Redzepi, M. (2003). Stable preterm infants gain more weight and sleep less after five days of massage therapy. J Pediatr Psychol, 28, 403-411   DOI   ScienceOn
3 Epstein, E. (2005). Toward a new conceptualization for stress response in newborn infants. Newborn Infant Nurs Rev, 5, 97-103   DOI   ScienceOn
4 Lee, K. J. (1999). Effects of a sensory stimulation on weight, stress hormone and Behavioral state in premature infants. J Korean Acade Nurs 2, 445-455
5 Liaw, J. (2000). Tactile stimulation and preterm infants. J Perinat Neonatal Nurs, 14, 84-103   DOI   PUBMED
6 White-Traut, R. C, Nelson, M. N., Silvestri, J. M., Vasan, U., Littau, S., Meleedy-Rey, P., Gu, G., & Patel, M. (2002). Effect of auditory, tactile, visual, and vestibular intervention on length of stay, alertness, and feeding progression in preterm infants. Deve Med Child Neurol, 44, 91-97   DOI   ScienceOn
7 Beachy, J. M. (2003). Premature infant massage in the NICU. Neonatal Netw, 22, 39-45   PUBMED
8 Harrison, L. L., Olivet, L., Cunningham, K., Bodin, M. B., & Hicks, C. (1996). Effects of gentle human touch on preterm infants: Pilot study results. Neonatal Netw, 15, 35-42   PUBMED
9 Mehta, S. K., Super, D. M., Connuck, D., Kirchner, H. L., Salvator, A., Singer, L., Fradley, L.G., & Kaufman, E.S. (2002). Autonomic alterations in cocaine-exposed infants. Am Heart J, 144,1109-1115   DOI   ScienceOn
10 Hanna, B. D., Nelson, M. N., White-Traut, R. C, Silvestri, J. M., Vasan, U., Meleedy-Rey. P. M., Patel, M.K., & Comiskey, E. (2000). Heart rate variability in preterm brain-injured and very-low-birth-weight infants. Biol Neonate, 77,147-155   DOI   ScienceOn
11 Modrcin-McCarthy, M. A., McCue, S., & Walker, J. (1997). Preterm infants and stress: A tool for the neonatal nurse. J Perinat Neonatal Nurs, 10, 62-71   DOI   PUBMED
12 Doussard-Roosevelt, J. A., Porges, S. W., Scanlon, J. W., Alemi, B., & Scanlon, K. (1997). Vagal regulation of heart rate in the prediction of developmental outcome for very low birth weight preterm infants. Child Dev, 68,173-186   DOI   ScienceOn
13 Field, T., Hernandez-Reif, M., Diego, M., Feijo, L., Vera, Y., & Gil, K. (2004). Massage therapy by parents improves early growth and development. Infant Behav Deve, 27, 435-442   DOI   ScienceOn
14 Lindrea, K. B., & Stainton, M. C. (2000). A case study of infant massage outcomes. MCN, Am J Matem Child Nurs, 25, 95-99   DOI   ScienceOn
15 Steward, D. K., Moser, D. K., & Ryan-Wenger, N. A. (2001). Biobehavioral characteristics of infants with failure to thrive. J Pediatr Nurs, 16,162-171   DOI   ScienceOn
16 Peters, K. L. (1999). Infant handling in the NICU: Does developmental care make a difference? An evaluative review of the literature. J Perinat Neonatal Nurs, 13, 83-109   DOI   PUBMED
17 Bond, C. (2002). Positive touch and massage in the neonatal unit: A British approach. Semin Neonatol, 7, 477-486   DOI   ScienceOn
18 Porges, S.W. (1996). Physiological regulation in high-risk infants: A model for assessment and potential intervention. Deve Psychopathol, 8, 43-58   DOI
19 Ferber, S. G., Kuint, J., Weller, A., Feldman, R., Dollberg, S., Arbel, E., & Kohelet, D. (2002). Massage therapy by mothers and trained professionals enhances weight gain in preterm infants. Early Hum Dev, 67, 37-45   DOI   ScienceOn
20 Porges, S. W. (1985). Method and apparatus for evaluating rhythmic oscillations in periodic physiological response systems (Patent No. 4510944). Washington, DC: U.S. Patent Office
21 Harrison, L. L., Williams, A. K., Leeper, J., Stem, J. T., & Wang, L. (2000). Factors associated with vagal tone responses in preterm infants. West J Nurs Res, 22, 776-795   DOI   ScienceOn
22 Villa, M. P., Calcagnini, G., Pagani, J., Paggi, B., Massa, F., & Ronchetti, R. (2000). Effects of sleep stage and age on short-term heart rate variability during sleep in healthy infants and children. Chest, 117, 460-466   DOI   ScienceOn
23 Feldman, R., Eidelman, A. I., Sirota, L., & Weller, A. (2002). Comparison of skin-to-skin (kangaroo) and traditional care: Parenting outcomes and preterm infant development. Pediatrics, 110,16-26   DOI   PUBMED   ScienceOn
24 Field, T., Schanberg, S.M., Scafidi, R, Bauer, C.R., Vega-Lahr, N., Gacria, R., Nystrom, J., & Kuhn, CM. (1986). Tactile/ kinesthetic stimulation effects on preterm neonates. Pediatrics, 77, 654-658   PUBMED
25 Scafidi, F.A., Field, T., Schanberg, S.M., Bauer, C.R., Tucci, K., Roberts, J., Morrow, C, & Kuhn, CM. (1990). Massage stimulates growth in preterm infants: A replication. Infant Behav Deve, 13,167-188   DOI   ScienceOn
26 Lee, H. K. (2002). Effects of sponge bathing on vagal tone and behavioral responses in premature infants. J Clin Nurs, 11, 510-519   DOI   PUBMED   ScienceOn
27 Brandon, D. PL, & Holditch-Davis, D. (2005). Validation of an instrumented sleep-wake assessment against a biobehavioral assessment. Newborn Infant Nurs Rev, 5,109-115   DOI   ScienceOn
28 Field, T. (2002). Preterm infant massage therapy studies: An American approach. Semin Neonatol 7, 487-494   DOI   ScienceOn
29 Mathai, S., Fernandez, A., Mondkar, J., & Kanbur, W. (2001). Effects of tactile-kinesthetic stimulation in preterms: A controlled trial. Indian Pediatr, 38,1091-1098   PUBMED
30 Grunau, R. E., Holsti, L., Whitfield, M. R, & Ling, E. (2000). Are twitches, startles, and body movements pain indicators in extremely low birth weight infants? Clin J Pain, 16,37-45   DOI   ScienceOn