Shantala: The Touch to Improve the Quality of Life in Babies Attending a School in the Midwest of Santa Catarina

Abstract

Introduction: Shantala is a technique that was created by an Indian mother, with the aim of massaging the baby. Your movements must be performed rhythmically and follow an order, becoming delicate and providing pleasure to the recipient. Many benefits are reported with Shantala, some of which include reducing intestinal colic, improving sleep quality and reducing stress and anxiety. Objective: To analyze the effectiveness of applying the Shantala massage technique to a group of babies enrolled in a school in the Midwest of Santa Catarina. Methods: This study is characterized as experimental research of an exploratory and descriptive nature. The sample consisted of 7 babies aged 4 to 12 months, of both sexes. The assessment was applied through a questionnaire on the perception of babies' behaviors, answered by their guardians, and sleep quality was assessed using the Brazilian version of the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ), both were applied pre and post -treatment. Afterwards, patients underwent 10 Shantala sessions. Participants only received care after consent from their guardians and approval from the ethics and research committee. Results: The results demonstrated that the babies' eating habits improved when compared pre- (28.6%) and post-treatment (57.9%), being classified as very good and 42.9% as excellent. In relation to social behavior, only 14.3% were classified as excellent before massage applications, increasing to 57.1% post-treatment. No child showed any symptoms of intestinal colic, anxiety or stress after the applications, which were present pre-application. The quality of sleep also improved post-treatment, showing an improvement in this habit in relation to the time of going to bed and waking up, including during the night. Conclusion: The research demonstrated that the Shantala technique promoted the reduction of stress levels, anxiety, reduced symptoms of intestinal colic and improved the quality of sleep, eating habits and social interaction, which consecutively generates a better quality of life in children.