Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39211929›Full record

ArticleHeliyon2024

Pediatric massage therapy in infants and children under 5 years: An umbrella review of systematic reviews.

Shu-Cheng Chen, Shuang-Lan Lin, Mian Wang, Denise Shuk-Ting Cheung, Jia-Gui Liang, Zi-Yao Cheng, Chun Sum Yuen, Wing-Fai Yeung

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Heliyon, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Trial
  2. The state of infant massage use in neonatal intensive care units.Journal of perinatology : official journal of the California Perinatal Association · 2026
    Article
  3. Article
  4. Parental Experiences of Administering PediatricJMIR pediatrics and parenting · 2025
    Article
  5. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Shu-Cheng ChenSchool of Nursing, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Shuang-Lan LinSchool of Nursing, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Mian WangSchool of Nursing, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Denise Shuk-Ting CheungSchool of Nursing, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Jia-Gui LiangSchool of Nursing, Capital Medical University, China.
Zi-Yao ChengMaster of Art of Religious Studies, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Chun Sum YuenSchool of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Wing-Fai YeungSchool of Nursing, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Objective: To systematically evaluate and synthesize quantitative evidence regarding the effects of pediatric massage in infants and children under five years. Review methods: We conducted searches in databases including MEDLINE, Embase, Health Technology Assessment Database, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects, Allied and Complementary Medicine, Embase, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Data, SinoMed, and CQVIP up to February 2024. Two reviewers independently screened articles, extracted data, and conducted quality appraisals on the included studies. We focused on systematic reviews with meta-analyses comparing pediatric Results: Twenty-two systematic reviews with meta-analysis of 81 outcomes were included. Seven studies (31.8 %) were high quality, and the evidence of 6 (7.4 %) outcomes were evaluated as high quality. The meta-analysis results demonstrate significant benefits of pediatric massage for infants compared to routine care, with increased weight gain (MD 455.07 g; 95 % CI 86.33 to 823.8; I Conclusions: Pediatric massage significantly enhances mother-child attachment, promotes physical growth, reduces fussing, lowers bilirubin levels, improves motor and psychomotor development, as well as manages digestive conditions and pain in children under 5 years. Future research should improve study quality and comprehensively report adverse events.

Indexed as

ChildComplementary and alternative therapyMassagePediatricSystematic review

Identifiers

PMID39211929
PMCPMC11357743

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.