THE PERCEPTION OF MOTHER AFTER LEARNING AND PRACTICE OF THE METHOD SHANTALA MASSAGE IN THE BABY

Abstract

Objective: To assess the mother’s feelings about Shantala’s massage benefits. Material And Methods: It’s in relation to an exploratory and descriptive study with qualitative approach through an semi-structured interview performed with two mothers whose children present risks about disturbance of motor development (prematurity and motor dysfunction), and are attended in Children’s Service department in Lauro Wanderley University Hospital – UFPB, and also with an mother whose child doesn’t has any history about motor development risks. The research locus was in the “Children’s Physiotherapy Service” and the method application was done with children aged from four to twelve months, between October and December this year. The result’s analysis followed categorization criteria in accordance with the responses obtained in the assessment instrument. Results: It was found after interview analysis that the mother’s perception after knowing and applying Shantala massage, was that children were seeming calm, providing improved quality of sleep, promoting better approximation and improving affection in relation to mother-child link. Conclusion: It’s considered therefore, in this study, that irrespective of pathological/profile presented, benefits provided by Shantala method, according to the perception of the mother in this study, are addressed in a positive way. Therefore, it’s expected that the study now under consideration could stimulate further research in the area, with significant samples, glimpsing the applicability of the method within the service routine of advanced physiotherapy services. DESCRIPTORS Physiotherapy. Massage. Perception. Mother-Child Relations.