December 12, 2000
BIRMINGHAM, AL — Gently touching premature babies for a few minutes a day is safe and has an immediate calming affect, according to a recent study led by Lynda Harrison, Ph.D., professor and associate dean of graduate studies at the School of Nursing at UAB (University of Alabama at Birmingham). Details of the study appear in the December issue of Research in Nursing and Health.
The study evaluated the effects of gentle touch on 42 pre-term infants. Nurses placed one hand on the back of the baby’s head and one on the baby’s lower back for 10 minutes, twice a day for 10 days. “Babies showed significantly fewer stress behaviors, such as clenching fists or making facial grimaces, during the periods of gentle touch,” Harrison says.
Studies have shown that touch is crucial for the development of parent-infant attachment and for general well-being; however, because of concerns about a pre-term infant’s ability to cope with excessive stimulation, many neonatal intensive care units have minimal handling policies, limiting handling of pre-term infants by parents and hospital staff.
“Previous studies show that pre-term infants often experience an oxygen deficiency following touch, since it is most often associated with medical or nursing procedures,” Harrison says. “Babies in the study showed no change in oxygen or heart rate, indicating that gentle touch is safe.”
The study did not find that touching had any long-term positive effects, such as weight gain, improved chance of survival or reduced hospital stay. However, a new study under way by Harrison and others is investigating whether touch combined with gentle massage may yield long-term benefits. “Other studies have shown that gentle massage may offer some long-term benefits,” Harrison says. “We are looking to see if combining touch with massage at an earlier age may provide even greater long-term effects.”
Researchers are enrolling 12 pre-term babies in the pilot study, funded by a UAB School of Nursing Dean’s Award. “If the study shows positive results we will move forward to secure funding for a larger study next year,” Harrison says.