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Skin on Skin

A Powerful Way to Calm and Soothe Infants and Toddlers

By Gina Roberts-Grey

Holding your child's hand as you walk along the sidewalk or having your infant wrap his tiny fingers around yours during a feeding is an instant reminder of the connection you have with your child. Parents, feeling a mixture of love, pride and admiration as they hold their baby, or when their toddler hugs them, are easily aware of how a simple touch can turn around a day or affect your emotions.

How often do you find yourself instinctively grazing your child's head as you pass by him playing? Do you find that stroking your baby's head during a feeding or bath is a natural and subconscious act?

In between caring for your child and running your household, it is easy to misunderstand the vital role that touch plays in your child's life. Many do not realize that simple actions such as holding a baby in your lap to read or relax and rubbing a child's back as he falls asleep have such a powerful effect on a baby or toddler.

It is commonly believed that animals can be soothed by stroking the crown of their head, and in the wild, maternal primates have been observed calming their young by rubbing or patting them. Whether you realize it or not, you are modeling the instinctive behavioral patterns found in animals of all shapes and sizes. Touch is a powerful aspect in your child's life and in the bond with your child.

Scientists explain that the effect of touch (one of the five senses) on a release of endorphins triggered in the brain is thought to be more powerful than the effects of drugs such as heroine and morphine. Health experts add that touch can often trigger an emotional response or memory. "Holding a loved one's hand can elicit the memory of a vacation, special moment or favorite memory," says Susan Young, a personal life coach and therapist from Naples, Fla.

Want to see more?

• Sensory Play for Toddlers: Part One: Developing the Sense of Touch
• The Power of Touch: Massage Therapy Relieves Stress and Provides Peace
• Time Out! Recharging Your Baby's Batteries
• Talk about it!

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