A randomized placebo-controlled trial of massage therapy on the immune system of preterm infants.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of massage therapy (MT) on the immune system of preterm infants. The primary hypothesis was that MT compared with sham therapy (control) will enhance the immune system of stable premature infants by increasing the proportion of their natural killer (NK) cell numbers. METHODS: A randomized placebo-controlled trial of MT versus sham therapy (control) was conducted among stable premature infants in the NICU. Study intervention was provided 5 days per week until hospital discharge for a maximum of 4 weeks. Immunologic evaluations (absolute NK cells, T and B cells, T cell subsets, and NK cytotoxicity), weight, number of infections, and length of hospital stay were also evaluated. RESULTS: The study enrolled 120 infants (58 massage; 62 control). At the end of the study, absolute NK cells were not different between the 2 groups; however, NK cytotoxicity was higher in the massage group, particularly among those who received ≥5 consecutive days of study intervention compared with control (13.79 vs 10 lytic units, respectively; P = .04). Infants in the massage group were heavier at end of study and had greater daily weight gain compared with those in the control group; other immunologic parameters, number of infections, and length of stay were not different between the 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, MT administered to stable preterm infants was associated with higher NK cytotoxicity and more daily weight gain. MT may improve the overall outcome of these infants. Larger studies are needed.

Knowledge and use of music therapy among pediatric practitioners in Michigan.

OBJECTIVE: Increasingly, music therapy is being used, in combination with conventional treatment modalities, as part of the health care treatment plan. The objective of our study was to determine the awareness, knowledge and use of music therapy by members of the Michigan chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (Michigan AAP) in their health care practice. METHODS: Members of the Michigan AAP were asked to participate in a survey designed to assess their knowledge and use of music therapy in their health care practice. RESULTS: Although the majority of respondents were aware of the use of music therapy in health care settings, very few had referred their own patients for music therapy services. CONCLUSION: Music therapy is an inexpensive and noninvasive treatment modality being used increasingly, especially to alleviate pain, stress, and anxiety among patients in a variety of conditions. Pediatric practitioners in Michigan, who responded to our survey, expressed a strong interest in learning more about music therapy and learning about ways to incorporate music therapy into their health care practice.

Music therapy in pediatrics.

The soothing effects of music have been well described over the centuries and across cultures. In more recent times, studies have shown the beneficial effects of music in alleviating symptoms in a wide variety of clinical and psychologic conditions. Music therapy has been primarily used as an intervention to control emotional states, in pain management, cognitive processing, and stress management. Stress is associated with increased production of the stress hormone cortisol, which is known to suppress immune responses. Several studies in the past few decades have demonstrated a positive effect of music therapy on reducing stress or increasing immune responses, or both. Music therapy should therefore be considered as a valuable addition to standard pharmacologic therapeutic modalities in enhancing the immune response and lowering stress levels in such conditions. This article reviews the role of music as a therapeutic modality and the future for music therapy, particularly in pediatrics.

The use of folk remedies among children in an urban black community: remedies for fever, colic, and teething.

BACKGROUND: Folk remedy use is universal, occurring in all cultures. Folk remedies have been and still are relied on in the black community. In this study, folk remedies refer to herbs, over-the-counter medications, and items traditionally used for cooking that are used to treat a variety of ailments. OBJECTIVE: To identify folk remedies used to treat fever, colic, and teething among black children in Detroit, Michigan. METHODS: Structured interviews were conducted with caregivers of healthy black children <2 years of age who were patients of the general pediatric clinic at Children's Hospital of Michigan. Descriptive analysis of the frequency distribution of the responses was performed. RESULTS: One hundred seven caregivers agreed to participate. All participants were familiar with the use of folk remedies. Most caregivers learned of these remedies from their mothers or grandmothers. Older parents were more likely to use folk remedies, but there was no difference in remedy use among different levels of maternal education. CONCLUSIONS: The knowledge and use of folk remedies were active in this black community. Their use seems to be cultural, rather than attributable to decreased access to health care. Physicians should be aware of these remedies, to educate families about remedies that may be harmful. Most remedies used pose no threat to health. In some cases, remedies may be blended with traditional medical treatments to ensure better patient compliance.