Massaging young children has been practiced in South Asia for centuries. Now scientists have discovered that it can sometimes save a child’s life. It happened in the city of Bangalore in southern India. On a chilly October evening, Renu Saxena brought her newborn daughter home from the hospital and marveled at how fragile she was. The girl was born prematurely, after 36 weeks of pregnancy, and weighed only 2.4 kilograms. Thin strands of veins were visible through her translucent skin.
Native speakers advised Saksena to immediately begin an ancient Indian method – daily strengthening massage. The doctors cautiously recommended waiting until the baby gained weight. Saksena decided to compromise and postpone the procedure for two weeks. During that time, the baby gained less than 200 grams and slept poorly. It was only after Sachsena hired an experienced pediatric nurse to teach her traditional infant massage that things began to go well. Her daughter began to sleep well and gain weight.
And this is not an isolated case. Saxony’s experience is confirmed by a growing number of testimonials about the benefits of South Asian infant massage, including for premature babies. Research shows that oil massage, when done correctly, accelerates growth, increases resistance to bacterial infections, and overall reduces neonatal mortality by half. For those parents who are interested, it is definitely advisable to consult a doctor to understand if the method is suitable for their child. For families who carefully preserve the practices of their ancestors, this is nothing new, the data of scientists only confirm their experience.
When done correctly, massage helps infants gain weight, protects against infection, and reduces overall infant mortality. “We explain quickly, simply and clearly what happened, why it matters and what will happen next.” The number of offers should remain: episodes. End of story Podcast advertising “When we were growing up, my mother used to tell me how she recovered quickly after giving birth to me, her third child, thanks to massage, and how I grew up wonderfully because I started getting massages the very first day after we returned from the hospital,” says Saksena.
The nurse showed her how to heat the oil, first the refined coconut oil and then the almond oil, and how to safely apply it to her daughter’s skin for a half-hour massage, followed by a warm bath. “We started with gentle strokes on the stomach, as if drawing hearts on it, and then moved on to other parts of the body,” Saksena says. “I carefully worked my daughter’s joints, lifting her legs toward her forehead to release gas.”
The benefits of massage in early childhood persist into adulthood, scientists say. “Skin is the largest organ in the human body, but we often underestimate how important skin care is to overall health,” says Gary Darmstadt, M.D., professor of neonatal and developmental medicine at Stanford University. On his travels to Bangladesh and India, he saw mothers and grandmothers spending a lot of time massaging newborns. “When I found out that they had been doing this for centuries, I became interested and began to study the subject,” the professor says.
In a paper published in 2008, Darmstadt and his colleagues showed that this method can sometimes save lives, based on the observation of 497 premature babies who received daily massages at a clinic in Bangladesh. “For them, the risk of infection was reduced by 40%, and the likelihood of death was reduced by 25-50%, which is significant,” he says. Through various experiments, a team of scientists has found that regular massage promotes the formation of a microbiome in a child’s body – a collection of all the microorganisms that inhabit a person. The microbiome plays a key role in boosting immunity and is an effective defense against infection.
“Underweight infants who received oil massages developed a much more diverse microbiome. The oils increased the skin’s protective function, making it more difficult for life-threatening bacteria to enter the bloodstream,” says Professor Darmstadt. The results are particularly important for the care of premature infants. “Their skin does not function as it should. There is a loss of moisture. Water leaves the body quickly, taking heat with it. These infants are susceptible to hypothermia, and if the body temperature drops below a certain level, it can lead to death,” explains the scientist. “The child expends a lot of energy fighting hypothermia that would otherwise be used for growth and other bodily functions,” the professor points out.
The oil used in the massage contributes to the formation of the child’s microbiome. A new study being prepared for publication by Gary Darmstadt and colleagues summarizes observations of 26,000 premature and full-term infants in the state of Uttar Pradesh. Half of them received a massage with sunflower oil, the other half received a massage with mustard oil. Both groups showed developmental improvement. “For infants born at normal weight, the effect of massage on mortality is insignificant, but for infants weighing less than 1.5 kilograms, mortality is reduced by 52%,” says Professor Darmstadt.
Other researchers have come to similar conclusions. One study suggests that massage stimulates the vagus nerve, a parasympathetic (wandering) nerve that runs from the brain to the abdominal cavity. The vagus nerve improves digestion and absorption of food, helps the child gain weight faster, promotes better rest for the body, and ensures uninterrupted heart function. Daily belly rubs reduce pain and stress, which is especially important for premature babies who spend long, lonely months in the hospital. “We believe that parents should start massaging their children right after birth,” says Tiffany Field, a professor of pediatrics, psychology and psychiatry at the University of Miami who specializes in the field. After studying the data on massage of premature babies from a number of countries, she now promotes this practice, while always emphasizing the fundamental importance of correct massage technique. “You need to move the skin by pressing with moderate force. Too gentle strokes cause tickling, which children do not like, and have no therapeutic effect,” says Tiffany Field.
Children’s massage is gaining popularity in many countries where special courses are being opened for parents. Darmstadt recommends not going overboard. “One thing you don’t want to do, especially with preemies, is rub them too hard. That can damage the skin barrier and cause harm,” he says. Careful selection and application of oil is also necessary, and tradition is not always the best teacher. A 2013 study of 194 children in southern India, most of whom were massaged by their mothers, found that women were applying oil to the infants’ eyes and ears. Scientists warn that this can lead to infection. “We need an educational campaign to avoid this and to implement the right techniques,” says lead co-author Nitin Joseph, a professor at the Kasturba Gandhi (Mahatma Gandhi’s wife) Medical College in Mangalore.
According to data collected by Gary Darmstadt and his colleague, dermatology professor Peter Elias at the University of California, the most beneficial oils are sunflower, coconut, and sesame. “These oils are high in linoleic acid – a beneficial substance that the human body does not produce, but receives from external sources,” explains Darmstadt. “There are receptors on the skin that absorb fatty acids, which are then absorbed by the body and boost immunity.”
In India, the art of massage is passed down from mother to daughter. Meanwhile, according to his words, mustard oil is widely used in the state of Uttar Pradesh, which can cause inflammation and damage the skin. In large Indian families, child massage is not only a form of bonding, but also a connection between generations. Pranjadi Bhonde, a writer from the city of Pune in western India, massages her 14-month-old son, Samara, twice a day. For the first four months, her mother helped her, and they both enjoyed the activity. “Now that her son is an adult, the young mother enjoys looking at him during the massage, singing to him, and reading him poetry. “Regular massages improve his sleep and strengthen his skin, but for us it is also an additional spiritual connection,” she says. Oil massage is beneficial for the elderly because their skin becomes fragile and vulnerable with age, cracking and allowing bacteria to enter, while oil rejuvenates it, says Gary Darmstadt.
Following the family tradition helped not only Renu Saxena’s daughter, but also herself. After giving birth to her first child at the age of 40, she developed diabetes, and her third child was born by planned C-section. “After the massage, my daughter slept for four hours without waking up (which had never happened before), giving me a chance to rest,” she recalls, remembering how much the little girl enjoyed the first session. “It’s amazing how regular massage makes childhood happy and healthy!”
I’m sorry, but there is no Russian text provided to translate into English. Could you please provide the Russian text to translate? The content of this article is for general information only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice and assistance. The BBC recommends that anyone interested in pediatric massage should first consult with a specialist to avoid potential adverse effects. BBC is not responsible for any diagnosis made or action taken as a result of reading this article, nor for the content of any other web site referenced herein, and does not participate in the commercial promotion of any recommended products or services. If you are concerned about your health or the health of your child, always consult your physician.