Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41198851›Full record

ArticleJournal of perinatology : official journal of the California Perinatal Association2026

The state of infant massage use in neonatal intensive care units.

Dana B McCarty, Polly Kellner, Natasha Mauger, Emma Bradford, Roberta Pineda

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Journal of perinatology : official journal of the California Perinatal Association, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing 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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
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

5 authors.

Dana B McCartyDivision of Physical Therapy, Department of Health Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA. dana_mccarty@med.unc.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6499-8197
Polly KellnerChan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Natasha MaugerDivision of Physical Therapy, Department of Health Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
Emma BradfordDivision of Physical Therapy, Department of Health Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
Roberta PinedaChan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9240-4798

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo characterize current infant massage practices in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) and identify variability in approaches among neonatal therapists. STUDY

designA cross-sectional survey was distributed to NICU-based occupational therapists, physical therapists, and speech language pathologists. The survey inquired about massage use, training, protocols, techniques, and safety concerns. Descriptive statistics were used for analysis.

resultsAmong 101 respondents from 32 states, 90 (90%) used infant massage, with 64 (71%) considering it standard care. Infant massage was most often administered by occupational therapists (77, 76%), physical therapists (70, 69%), and parents (46, 46%). Despite high training rates (87, 97%), only 48 (53%) followed a specific protocol. Techniques, frequency, and use of emollients varied widely. Safety concerns included infant stress and physiological instability, though adverse events were rare.

conclusionDespite widespread use of infant massage in NICUs, variability in findings underscores the need for standardization to ensure safe, effective delivery of massage.

Indexed as

Infant CareIntensive Care Units, NeonatalMassageCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansInfant, NewbornMalePhysical TherapistsSurveys and QuestionnairesUnited States

Identifiers

PMID41198851
PMCPMC13008764

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

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.