THE IMPORTANCE ROLE OF POSITIVE TOUCH IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF INFANTS AND TODDLERS


Published: Jul 1, 2014
Keywords:
positive touch infant massage children´s development.
Στρατούλα Μάντζιου (Stratoula Mantziou)
Γεωργία Αχνούλα (Georgia Ahnoula)
Βασιλική Καραβίδα (Vasiliki Karavida)
Abstract
This study examines the fundamental and critical importance of healthy, nurturing human touch to the physical, mental/emotional, social/behavioral development and well-being in infants and children (Underdown, 2009). Using the skin and human touch as the bridge between the child’s inner and outer worlds, we emphasize at the various aspects of children´s development through the prism of touch (Fogel-Schneider & Patterson, 2010). We refer to medical research data and current findings on the psycho-physiological aspects of touch and emphasize in infant´s massage which seems to be one of the easiest, cost effective early intervention that enhances all the critical elements of secure types of attachment, as eye-to-eye and skin-to-skin contact, cuddling and soothing communicative musicality between mother-infant (Beebe, 1982˙Mantziou et al., 2012).
Article Details
  • Section
  • Scientific articles & educational projects
Downloads
Download data is not yet available.
References
Beebe, B. (1982). Micro-timing in mother-infant communication. In M. Key (Ed.), Nonverbal communication today: Current research (pp. 169-195). New York: Mouton.
Cheng,C.D.,Volk, A.A. & Marini, Z. (2011). Supporting Fathering through Infant Massage. The Journal of Perinatal Education, 20(4), 200-209.
Chugani, H.T., Behen,M.E., Muzik, O., Juhasz, C., Nagy, F. & Chugani, D.C. (2001). Local brain functional activity following early deprivation : A study of pros institutionalized Romanian orphans. Neuroimage, 14, 1290-1301.
Cowen, E.L., Weisberg, R.P. & Lotyczewski, B.S. (1983). Physical contacts in interaction between clinicians and young children. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 51, 132-138.
Crapps,J. & Witkowski,M. (1989). The role of touch during free-play of handicapped and non-handicapped children Journal of Classroom Interaction, 24,1-6.
Diego, M., Field, T., Hernaandez-Reif, M. (2009). Procedural pain heart rate response in massaged preterm infants.Infant Behavior and Development, 32, 226-229.
Diego, M., Field, T., Hernaandez-Reif, M., Deeds,O., Ascenio,A. & Begert, G. (2008). Preterm infant massage elicits consistent increases in vagal activity and gastgric motility that are associated with greater weight gain. Acta Pediatrica, 96, 1588-1591.
Ferber, S.G., Feldman, R. & Makhoul.I (2008). The development of maternal touch across the first year of life. Early Human Development, 84, 363-370.
Field, T., Diego, M.,& Hernandez-Reif, M. (2011). Potential underlying mechanisms for greater weight gain in massaged preterm infants. Infant Behavior and Development, 34(3), 383-389.
Field, T., Diego, M., Hernandez-Reif, M., Dieter, J.N.I., Kumar, A. M., Schanberg, S., Kuhn, C. (2008). Insulin and Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 Increased in Preterm Neonates Following Massage Therapy. Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, 29, 463-466.
Field, T. (2001a). Touch. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
Field, T. (2001b). Sleep problems in infants decrease following massage therapy. Early Child Development and Care, 168(1), 95-104.
Field, T. (1999). Preschoolers in America are touched less and are more aggressive than preschoolers in France. Early Child Development and Care, 151, 11-17.
Field, T., Henteleff,T., Hernandez-Reif, M., Martinez,E., Mavunda,K.,Kuhn,C. & Schanberg, S. (1998). Children with asthma have improved pulmonary functions after massage therapy. Journal of Pediatrics, 132, 854-858.
Field, T., Grizzle, N., Scafidi, F., Abrams, S., Richardson, S., Kuhn, C., Schanberg, S. (1996). Massage Therapy for Infants of Depressed Mothers. Infant Behavior and Development, 19, 107-112.
Field, T., Harding, J., Soliday, B., Lasko, D., Gonzales, N. & Valdeon, C. (1994). Touching in Infant, Toddler, and Preschool Nursseries. Early Child Development and Care, 98,113-120.
Fogel-Schneider & Patterson. (2010). You’ve Got That Magic Touch: Integrating the Sense of Touch into Early Childhood Services .Young. Exceptional Children, 9, 483-489.
Garofallou, L. (2013). Connections made through loving touch. The science of connection and disconnection. The Montclair Times Community. Section B, September 5.
Gurol, A., & Polat, S. (2012). Sleep Effects of Baby Massage on Attachment between Mother and their Infants. Asian Nursing Research, ANR20, 1-7.
Harlow, H. (1959). Love in infant monkeys. Scientific American, 200, 68-74.
Harlow, H. & Harlow, M. (1962). Social deprivation in monkeys. Scientific American, 207, 136-144.
Hertenstein, M.J., Holmes, R., McGullough, M. & Keltner, D.(2009). The communication of emotion via touch. American Psychological Association, 9(4), 566-573.
Lagercrantz, H. & Changeux, J.P.(2009). The emergence of human consciousness: From fetal to neonatal life. Pediatric Research, 65, 255-260.
Mantziou, S., Papanicolaou, E., Korlin, D. (2012). Communicative Musicality in a Parallel Way of the Interaction Between Mother- Infant and Guide Traveler. 10nth European Guided Imagery Music – GIM - Conference 19-23 of September, Sweeden.
Μαράτου, Ο., Σόλμαν, Μ., Τσίτσικα, Ε., Ζαχάρωφ, Ε., Μητσοτάκη, Π. & Καραγγέλη, Α.(1981). Πρώιμη ψυχοκινητική εξέλιξη σε ειδικές κοινωνικές συνθήκες. 2ο Πανελλήνιο Συνέδριο Ψυχολογίας. Αθήνα.
Mazur,K., & Pekor,C.(1985). Can teacher touch children any more: Physical contact and its value in child΄s development. Young Children, 40,10-12.
McClure, V.(2000). Infant Massage: A Handbook for Loving Parents. New York: Bantam Books.
Μontagu, A.(1971). Touching : The human significance of the skin. New York: Columbia University Press.
Moyer-Mileur, L., Haley, S., Slater, H., Beachy, J. & Smith, S.(2013). Massage improves growth quality by decreasing body fat deposition in male preterm infant, The Journal of Pediatrics, 162(3), 490-495.
Onozawa, K., Glover, V. Adams, D., Modi, N.,& Kumar, D. (2001). Infant massage improves mother-infant interaction for mothers with postnatal depression. Journal of Affective Disorders, 63, 201- 207.
Παπαδάκη- Μιχαηλίδη, Ε.(1998). Η σιωπηλή γλώσσα των συναισθημάτων. Η μη λεκτική επικοινωνία στις διαπροσωπικές σχέσεις. Ελληνικά Γράμματα, Αθήνα.
Τwardosz, S., Botkin, D., Cunningham, J.L., Weddle, K., Sollie, D., & Shreve, C.(1987). Expression of affection in day care. Child Study Journal, 17, 133-151.
Underdown, A. (2009). The power of touch – exploring infant massage. In J.Barlow & P.O. Svanberg (Eds), Keeping the Baby in Mind – Infant Mental Health in Practice, pp:17-28. Routledge.
Yilmaz, H.,B. & Conk, Z. (2009). The effect of massage by mothers on growth in healthy full term infants. International Journal of Human Sciences, 6(1), 969-977.