The effect of touch on the pain reactions of full-term neonates who have undergone ear boring at Saint Paul’s Hospital

Abstract

The study was conducted to determine the effect of touch on the pain reactions of full-term neonates who have undergone ear boring. Touch was applied to the experimental group, but withheld from the control group. The findings showed that touch minimized the pain reactions of the experimental group, much more than among those to whom touch was not applied. The reduction in crying pattern, breathing pattern, respiratory rate, heart rate, motor activity of the legs, state or arousal and the over-all pain reactions to ear boring of full-term neonates was significant greater among those who were touched than among those who were not touched.