Effect of tactile-kinesthetic stimulation on weight gaining of preterm infants

The quality of life and standard of health care in a society is measured by its preterm infants'' mortality rate. The popularity and credibility of alternative treatment such as touch therapy may be effective in preterm and low birth weight infants in order to increase their survival rate. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of touch intervention on the weight gain of preterm infants who were admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unite(NICU).

This study was a randomized controlled trial performed in NICU of Emamreza hospital, Mashhad, Iran, from July 2007 to November 2007. There were two groups (the control group and the case group) and one response variable (weight gain). Infants in the control group received routine nursing care. Infants in the case group, in addition to the routine care, received stroking/passive limb movement therapy for three 15 minute sessions per day for a 10 day period. Then weight gaining was compared between the two groups.

The weight gain data was analyzed by SPSS software. Over the 10 day study period, the case group gained significantly more weight compared to the control group (p<0.001 (.

The data suggest that stroking/passive limb movement can be an efficient and cost effective way of enhancing growth in stable preterm infants.