  
The benefits of infant and childhood massage
Massage releases both oxytocin and endorphins and therefore can help relieve discomfort from many childhood complaints such as teething, colic and emotional stress.
The University of Miami Medical Centre conducted a study on Infant Massage in 1986 with pre- term, special needs and handicapped babies. Half the babies were massaged daily and half were cared for in the normal way. Compared with babies not massaged, the babies massaged daily increased their weight 47% more per day, were more alert and active during wake behavioural observation and showed signs of deeper sleep.
There are many benefits from a simple massage or intentional touch. Remember to be sensitive to your child's communication through the use of their body. Watch for cues to see if it is the right time for massage now or know when it is time to do something else. Take deep, calming breaths yourself. In this way, you are creating "Listening Touch"; a communication between both baby and you that can be engaged in with children when they are first brought home from hospital.
Other benefits include:
1. Relief of discomfort
Teething:
Teething has been described as a painful struggle for some babies. Though infant massage has not been proven to relieve all discomfort associated with teething it can be successfully used in conjunction with the parent’s choice of care during these times.
In addition to providing the infant with reassurance and comfort, the endorphins and oxytocins released assist with pain relief and mood enhancement.
Sinus congestion
Massaging the sinuses on the face helps clear the sinuses of excess mucous. This is helpful to infants as it eases the process of ridding the nasal passage of excess mucous.
2. Speeds myelination of the brain and nervous system
Skin stimulation speeds the process of myelination of the brain and nervous system therefore improving brain-body communication and enhancing neural-cell firing.
3. Relaxation and enhancement of neurological development
Massage provides both stress and relaxation for an infant, both being components of optimum learning conditions.
During massage an infant may experience both stress and relaxation. Increased circulation, the air on their skin, the stimulation of stroking, are all potentially stressful to a newborn, yet these are balanced with the reassurance the parent’s voice, odour and touch provide. This kind of balance is essential for the learning process.
Stress causes the pituitary gland to produce ACTH (Adrenocorticotrophic hormone).
Experiments where laboratory animals are given ACTH show growth of millions of new
connecting links between the neurons. This is what enables the brain to process information and, applied to infants, this process aids in converting new and stressful situations into something that is recognised as predictable.
If not balanced with relaxation an overload of stress can result in the decrease of sensory intake, something that is essential if infants are to reach their full potential.
Stress Levels:
It is estimated that stress plays a part in 60-90% of all illnesses so it may follow suit that infant massage, which provides the balance of relaxation will assist infants in learning to effectively cope with stress and, based on this above estimate may in fact be healthier because of it.
4. Sleep
Some infants sleep for longer periods following massage and appear to have longer periods of deep sleep. This seems to please most parents and is often the reason they seek an infant massage course. As with many other situations involving infants, a course of action that is effective with one infant does not apply to the next. There are cases where the problematic sleep pattern of infants is not affected by massage.
5. Stimulates the vagus nerve
Dr. Tiffany Field, founder of the Touch Research Institute in Florida, found that massage
stimulates the vagus nerve.
Cranial nerve X, the vagus nerve has many interesting functions including increasing peristalsis. Defined by Thibadeau and Patton in ‘Anatomy and Physiology’, peristalsis are “wave like, rhythmic contractions of the stomach and intestines that move food material along the digestive tract.” Therefore we can conclude that MASSAGE STIMULATES AND AIDS DIGESTION.
The vagus nerve’s sensory fibres also supply the lungs. A study conducted at the Touch Research Institute showed that following one month of 20 minute massages each night, asthmatic children could breath better. (Based on their daily peak airflow readings). From this we conclude that MASSAGE DEEPENS RESPIRATION.
6. Teaches infants that touch is a form of expression.
7. Helps tone muscles and aids growth
8. Enhances the bonding process
9. Increases infant’s body awareness
By naming body parts during massage, parents teach infants games, words and speech. In
addition to this, newborns still adapting to an environment without the boundaries of the womb may learn things such as where their body starts and finishes and that their feet and hands are in fact attached to the rest of their body.
10. Strengthens the immune system
A study conducted at the Touch Research Institute in Miami, Florida, found that massage resulted in a significant increase is Natural Killer Cell numbers. Natural Killer cells are a group of white blood cells that kill many types of tumour cells. This is thought to have particularly positive implications for children suffering from HIV and cancer.
11. Teaches children from birth that they are in charge of their own body
and that it is ok for them to say no to people touching them...
Parents must interpret an infant’s body language in regards to massage. It is recommended that when they interpret a ‘no cue’ from the infant to respond appropriately by either not continuing or not beginning the massage. By respecting the child’s rejection of touch, parents are teaching their infant that he/she deserves respect when it comes to making decisions about who touches their body and that it is ok to say no if you don’t want to be touched.
12. Increases oxygen and nutrient flow to the cells
13. Increases circulation
14. Improves sensory awareness
15. Helps encourage midline orientation
This assists with coordination and balance.
16. Parents feel more confident in their new role...
...knowing that they can do something themselves to enhance the health and development of their child.
17. Massage provides quality time with a working parent
18. Increases the parent’s ability to help relax their child in times of stress
19. Can involve the father...
… to assist in alleviating the possible feelings that they are being left out. (Particularly common when the mother is breast-feeding).
20. Enables parents to be more receptive to their baby
Interpreting the infant’s body language during massage is certainly a part of this, but on a medical level, parents who massage each day are more likely to notice a change in their child’s physical condition. For example, they may feel a strange lump that may have gone un-noticed for a period of time with an infant who was not receiving massage.
You can find this and other information on infant massage at: www.infantmassage-imis.com.au |
