The Effect of Healing Touch on Sleep Patterns of Pediatric Burn Patients: A Prospective Pilot Study

The Effect of Healing Touch on Sleep Patterns of Pediatric Burn Patients: A Prospective Pilot Study

Objective: Prior experience has demonstrated poor sleep quality during and after hospitalization for thermal injury. Complementary therapies such as healing touch are increasingly utilized in the management of pain, anxiety, wound treatment and sleep disorders; however, the efficacy of healing touch during burn convalescence is unknown. The primary aim of this investigation was to determine if healing touch mediates polysomnographic changes during nocturnal sleep in pediatric burn patients. Methods: Subjects were randomized to one of two groups to determine the order of healing touch treatment night verses no intervention. The study utilized a 2 period crossover design whereby patients served as their own control. Healing touch was performed on one randomly assigned night while soft background music and polysomnography recordings were obtained on both nights for each patient.