Research has documented the short-term advantages of gentle touch and massage for healthy term infants and some growing and medically stable preterm infants.Massage involves touch and handling, and can elicit cutaneous, proprioceptive, vestibular and/or sensory perceptions. These sensations are among the earliest to develop during gestation, and ultimately provide stimulation, organization, communication, and emotional development.The occupational therapist can provide a suitable program for massage, stimulation and exercises. A specialised program with tactile modalities and movement is also incorporated in treating the baby. Furthermore the program includes a progression of touch, stroking, holding and movement of the infant, and this also helps develop the parent-infant relationships in the NICU phase.
Given that some babies have abnormalities of the limbs, splints are fabricated by the occupational therapist to help correct deformities. This is typically for postural deformities. Strict splinting regimes must be followed, with soft splints rather than thermoplastic being favored.
