Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 1, 2025
Author Spotlight: Implications of Non-Nutritive Sucking on Speech Emergence and Infant Development
Published on: April 19, 2024
Tactile Stimulation in Newborn Infants With Inadequate Respiration at Birth: A Systematic Review
Ruth Guinsburg1, Maria Fernanda B de Almeida1, Emer Finan2
1Division of Neonatal Medicine, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Context:
For many years the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation has recommended the use of tactile stimulation for initial management of infants born with inadequate respiratory effort at birth without systematically examining its effectiveness.
Objective:
Systematic review to compare the effectiveness of tactile stimulation with routine handling in newly born term and preterm infants.
Data Sources:
Medline, Embase, Cochrane CENTRAL, along with clinical trial registries.
Study Selection:
Randomized and non-randomized studies were included based on predetermined criteria.
Data Extraction:
Data were extracted independently by authors. Risk of Bias in Nonrandomized Studies of Interventions (ROBINS-I) was used to assess risk of bias in non-randomized studies. Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) was used to assess the certainty of evidence.
Results:
Among 2455 unique articles identified, 2 observational studies were eligible and qualitatively summarized. Because one of the studies was at critical risk of bias, only the other study including 243 preterm infants on continuous positive airway pressure with clinical indications for tactile stimulation was analyzed. It showed a reduction in tracheal intubation in infants receiving tactile stimulation compared with no tactile stimulation (12 of 164 vs 14 of 79, risk ratio of 0.41 [95% confidence interval 0.20 to 0.85]); however, the certainty of evidence was very low.
Limitations:
The available data were limited and only from observational studies.
Conclusions:
A potential benefit of tactile stimulation was identified but was limited by the very low certainty of evidence. More research is suggested to evaluate the effectiveness as well as the optimal type and duration of tactile stimulation.
Related Concept Videos
01:23Assessment of Respiration
Subjective Assessment: Nurses interview the patient to gather information directly during the subjective assessment. It includes questions about the individual's medical history, medications, and symptoms, focusing on past respiratory conditions like...
01:31Respiratory System Abnormal Finding II: Palpation and Auscultation
Palpation Findings
During a respiratory assessment, palpation can reveal several vital abnormalities:
01:30Assessment of Airway, Skin Color, and Use of Accessory Muscles
Introduction
The initial evaluation of a patient's respiratory system...
01:24Physical Assessment of the Respiratory Tract II: Palpation
Thoracic Palpation
Thoracic palpation detects tenderness, masses, lesions, respiratory excursions, and vocal fremitus. The nurse assesses...
01:29Assessment of Ventilation II: Respiratory Depth and Rhythm
Respiratory depth measures the volume of air inhaled or exhaled during a breath. It can vary from shallow to deep and typically remains consistent when a person is at rest or asleep. Occasionally, individuals will automatically inhale deeply, known as sighing, which inflates the lungs with more air than normal breathing.
To assess respiratory depth, observe the degree of chest excursion or movement:
01:20Assessment of Ventilation I: Respiratory Rate
A Ventilation assessment is critical for monitoring a patient's health status. Respiration, one of the most accessible vital signs, provides insights into the function of numerous body systems and can indicate serious health issues, such as brainstem injuries from head trauma.
Critical Guidelines for Assessing Ventilation: