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[[File:Babymassage.jpg|thumb|Infant massage]]
'''Infant massage''' is a type of [[complementary and alternative medicine|complementary and alternative treatment]] that uses [[massage therapy]] for human [[infant]]sbabies. ThisEvidence therapyis hasinsufficient beento practiced globally, and has been increasingly used in Western countries as a treatment for infants, though the scientific evidence supportingsupport its use isin growing.either Researchfull in [[preterm birth|pre-term infants]]or andpreterm [[lowbabies birthto weight]]achieve infantsphysical has found evidence that massage improves weight gain, increases bone density, reduces cortisol, may shorten the hospital stay and improves cognitive and motor development in later monthsgrowth.<ref name=Cat2013/><ref Asname research continues, infant massage has become more available in hospitals.= Vickers/>
Also studies have shown that massage performed on full-term infants is very beneficial to both infant and parents. It can be used as a means to bond with the infant for both mother and father.
==History==
[[Ayurvedic medicine]] in [[History of India|ancient India]] taught the use of infant massage.<ref>Johari H. (1996). Ayurvedic Massage: Traditional Indian Techniques for Balancing Body and Mind. Inner Traditions Bear and Company. {{ISBN|978-0-89281-489-3}}</ref> It was also has been encouraged in [[China]] during the [[Qing dynasty]].<ref>Furth C. (1987). Concepts of Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Infancy in Ch'ing Dynasty China. Journal of Asian Studies, 46:7-35. {{JSTOR|2056664}}</ref> At present it is part of traditional childcare in South Asia and elsewhere where daily massage by mothers is seen as "instilling fearlessness, hardening bone structure, enhancing movement and limb coordination, and increasing weight".<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Reissland | first1 = N | last2 = Burghart | first2 = R | title = The role of massage in south Asia: child health and development. | journal = Social scienceScience & medicine (1982)Medicine | volume = 25 | issue = 3 | pages = 231–9 | year = 1987 | pmid = 3629298 | doi = 10.1016/0277-9536(87)90226-7 }}</ref> Other areas where infant massage is regularly used are African countries and areas in the former [[Soviet Union]]. In Western culture, infant massage has been increasingly used in [[neonatal intensive care unit]]s for pre-term infants who are in stressful environments and have limited [[Touch|tactile]] stimulation.<ref name=Underdown"Vickers" />
==Research==
A 2013 [[Cochrane review]] of massage therapy for babies less than 6 months of age who were born at term found that the evidence was insufficient to support its use.<ref name=Cat2013>{{Cite journal|last1=Bennett|first1=Cathy|last2=Underdown|first2=Angela|last3=Barlow|first3=Jane|date=2013-04-30|title=Massage for promoting mental and physical health in typically developing infants under the age of six months|journal=The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews|volume=2013 |issue=4|pages=CD005038|doi=10.1002/14651858.CD005038.pub3|issn=1469-493X|pmid=23633323|pmc=8078453}}</ref> A 2004 Cochrane review looking at massage therapy for pre-term and low birth weight was insufficient to justify its use.<ref name = Vickers>{{cite journal |vauthors=Vickers A, Ohlsson A, Lacy JB, Horsley A |title=Massage for promoting growth and development of preterm and/or low birth-weight infants |journal=Cochrane Database Syst Rev |issue=2 |pages=CD000390 |year=2004 |volume=2004 |pmid=15106151 |doi=10.1002/14651858.CD000390.pub2 |editor1-last=Vickers |editor1-first=Andrew|pmc=6956667 }}</ref>
===Full term infants===
A [[Cochrane review]] of studies on the benefits of massage therapy for infants less than 6 months of age (and were not pre-term or underweight) found tentative evidence of benefit for mother-infant interaction, sleeping and crying, and on [[stress hormone]] levels. The evidence for these benefits, however, came from a relatively small number of studies, and no [[meta-analysis]] could be performed on these outcomes. Other evidence of physical health benefits such as weight gain were only found in studies that were at high risk of [[bias]]. The study found no evidence to suggest massage affects [[mental health]] outcomes such as infant attachment, temperament or [[mental development]]. This level of evidence may be enough to support community use of massage therapy, but more research is needed before it can be universally recommended.<ref name=Underdown>{{cite journal |author=Underdown A, Barlow J, Chung V, Stewart-Brown S |title=Massage intervention for promoting mental and physical health in infants aged under six months |journal=Cochrane Database Syst Rev |volume= |issue=4 |pages=CD005038 |year=2006 |pmid=17054233 |doi=10.1002/14651858.CD005038.pub2 |url= |editor1-last=Underdown |editor1-first=Angela}}</ref>{{Update inline|reason=Updated version https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23633323|date=June 2016}}
===Preterm infants===
A Cochrane review of studies looking at massage therapy for pre-term and low birth weight found that the evidence for benefits was weak. While a meta-analysis of studies found that massage was associated with increased weight gain and decreased [[length of stay]] in the hospital, the reviewers had "serious concerns" about the methodological quality of the studies, specifically raising the concern of [[publication bias]]. These concerns weakened the credibility of the studies, and led the reviewers to conclude there was not enough evidence to recommend widespread use of massage for pre-term or low birth weight infants. The review also suggested those neonatal intensive care units that have nurses provide massage therapy to reconsider whether it is cost-effective use of their time to do so.<ref name = Vickers>{{cite journal |author=Vickers A, Ohlsson A, Lacy JB, Horsley A |title=Massage for promoting growth and development of preterm and/or low birth-weight infants |journal=Cochrane Database Syst Rev |volume= |issue=2 |pages=CD000390 |year=2004 |pmid=15106151 |doi=10.1002/14651858.CD000390.pub2 |url= |editor1-last=Vickers |editor1-first=Andrew}}</ref>
==Proposed mechanisms==
Various mechanisms have been proposed as to suggest how massage therapy might benefit infants. For pre-term infants, it has been suggested that any weight gain may be due to improved metabolic efficiency or by reducing the adverse reaction of stress through decreasing stress behavior or stress hormones.<ref name=Vickers/> Other possible mechanisms include increased [[vagal]] activity and secretion of [[insulin]] and [[gastrin]] as well as improved parent-infant relationships.<ref name =Cat2013 Underdown/>
==Safety==
Reviews of the literature have found no significant risks for adverse events with massage theory with either full term or pre-term infants.<ref name=UnderdownCat2013 /><ref name=Vickers/> One study found that the use of certain oils in traditional societies such as [[mustard oil]] or [[olive oil]] might adversely affect pre-term newborn [[human skin|skin]] barrier function, while integrity and permeability whileusing other oils that are [[linoleate]]-enriched such as [[sunflower seed oil]] may improve them.<ref>{{citethe journalintegrity |and doi = 10.1080/080352502753711678 | last1 = Darmstadt | first1 = GL | last2 = Mao-Qiang | first2 = M | last3 = Chi | first3 = E | last4 = Saha | first4 = SK | last5 = Ziboh | first5 = VA | last6 = Black | first6 = RE | last7 = Santosham | first7 = M | last8 = Elias | first8 = PM. | year = 2002 | title = Impactpermeability of topical oils on the skin.<ref barrier: possible implications for neonatal health in developing countries | url name=Cat2013 | journal = Acta Paediatr | volume = 91 | issue = 5| pages = 546–54 | pmid = 12113324 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Mullany | first1 = LC | last2 = Darmstadt | first2 = GL | last3 = Khatry | first3 = SK | last4 = Tielsch | first4 = JM | title = Traditional Massage of Newborns in Nepal: Implications for Trials of Improved Practice | journal = Journal of tropicalTropical pediatricsPediatrics | volume = 51 | issue = 2 | pages = 82–6 | year = 2005 | pmid = 15677372 | pmc = 1317296 | doi = 10.1093/tropej/fmh083 }}</ref>
==See also==
==References==
{{reflist|2}}
{{Infants and their care}}
==External links==
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A880670 BBC: Baby Massage -- provides instructions]
[[Category:Babycare]]
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