Over the years I have become a total skin junkie! I find it amazing how stimulation of the integumentary system can impact bonding. This is critical, as the experience of maternal connection is often disrupted with medical complications, which can have life-long implications on development (Christofferson et al., 2020).<\/p>\n I have been working in pediatrics for over 20 years. If you are a therapist going into the home environment, think about how often you have arrived to find your patient in their car seat, or some other piece of equipment. Do the parents seem overwhelmed or fearful? Consider the emotional implications of having a child with medical complications and how it could impact parent engagement.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n One in every ten infants is born preterm in the United States each year. The emotional stress that premature births put on the family unit can lead to deficits in motor development and learning (Feldman et al., 2014; Purdy et al., 2015). Pediatric therapists are uniquely positioned to offer help to these families.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Please join me in my Live Webinar, Infant Massage and Bonding<\/a><\/strong><\/em>, on May 12, 2023\u00a0to see how you can offer real solutions to help parents engage in calming and caring for their infant! Practical tips for communication and touch therapy to address colic, pain, and sensory regulation will be explored. Maybe it\u2019s time to take a deeper dive into the system of skin and how stimulation here can impact maternal bonding and infant development.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Explore online continuing education courses from Elizabeth below:<\/p>\n Ethics: A Physical Therapist’s Guide to Excellent Practice<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Infant Massage and Bonding Pediatric Application of Focal and Whole-Body Vibration<\/a> Utilizing Neuroplasticity to Improve Pediatric Motor Learning<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Visit summit-education.com<\/a> for more information.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n References:<\/strong><\/p>\n Christofferson, JL, Okonak, K, Kazak, AE, et al. (2020). Family consequences of potentially traumatic pediatric medical events: Implications for trauma-informed care.\u00a0Journal of Family Psychology<\/em>. 34<\/em>(2): 237\u2013246. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1037\/fam0000597<\/p>\n Feldman, R., Rosenthal, Z., & Eidelman, A. I. (2014). Maternal-preterm skin-to-skin contact enhances child physiologic organization and cognitive control across the first 10 years of life.\u00a0Biological Psychiatry<\/em>,\u00a075<\/em>(1), 56\u201364. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.biopsych.2013.08.012<\/a><\/p>\n Lu, L. C., Lan, S. H., Hsieh, Y. P., Lin, L. Y., Chen, J. C., & Lan, S. J. (2020). Massage therapy for weight gain in preterm neonates: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.\u00a0Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice<\/em>,\u00a039<\/em>, 101168. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.ctcp.2020.101168<\/p>\n Oyetunji, A & Chandra, P. (2020). Postpartum stress and infant outcome: A review of current literature.\u00a0Psychiatry Research<\/em>. 284<\/em>:112769. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.psychres.2020.112769<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blogcontent.summit-education.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/embeh-2.jpg\")
<\/a>Have you considered using the largest organ, our skin, to treat your smallest patients?<\/p>\nFactors Impacting Bonding:<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Benefits of Massage:<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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