Abstract
Background: 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).
Methods: 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 .
Results: 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 (.
Conclusion: The data suggest that stroking/passive limb movement can be an efficient
and cost effective way of enhancing growth in stable preterm infants .
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