body works
Massage Benefits Kids With Cystic Fibrosis
Massage boosts mood and reduces respiratory
problems in children with cystic fibrosis, researchers report.
Investigators looked at 20 youngsters with cystic fibrosis,
aged 5 to 12 years. The children were divided into two groups.
An intervention group received massage therapy from their
parents for 20 minutes each night prior to bedtime. Patients
in the control group were read to by their parents. At 30-day
follow-up, children who received massage exhibited improvement
in peak air flow measurements, compared with control participants.
In addition, experimental subjects enjoyed decreased anxiety
and increased mood, compared with children in the reading
group.
Hernandez-Reif M, Field T, Krasnegor J, Martinez E, Schwartzman M, Mavunda K Children with cystic fibrosis benefit from massage therapy J Pediatr Psychol 1999 (Apr); 24 (2): 175-181