Massage for promoting mental and physical health in infants under the age of six months

This review aimed to assess the impact of infant massage on mental and physical outcomes for healthy infants in the first six months of life. A total of 23 randomised controlled trials were included. Thirteen of these that were assessed to have a high risk of bias and were analysed separately. One study reported follow-up data only. It was only possible to combine the results of the remaining studies for a very small number of outcomes. The results of nine studies suggest that infant massage has no effect on growth, but provides some evidence suggestive of improved mother-infant interaction, improved sleep and relaxation, reduced crying and a beneficial impact on a number of physiological processes. Results showing a significant impact on number of illnesses and clinic visits were limited to a study of Korean orphanage infants. There is no evidence of any impact on infant attachment, temperament, psychomotor or mental development. These results provide tentative evidence to support current practice with regard to the teaching of infant massage in the community during the first six months of life, but fall short of the evidence needed to recommend universal provision. Further research is needed to identify the relative benefits in different population groups, its influence on outcomes such as mother-infant interaction, and the physiological mechanisms involved. Further research is also needed to identify the relative benefits of the different approaches to infant massage, the best approach to teaching parents and the optimum frequency and intensity.