Further proof that cuddles are magic.
A study carried out by the Duke University Medical School found some amazing results when they researched the effects hugging has on children.
According to the researchers, the study revealed that something as simple as a cuddle or rocking your baby in your arms will make a huge difference in their development.
In short the more cuddles you give your child, the better their brain develops.
Another study from UCLA also found that unconditional love and affection from a parent can make children emotionally happier and less anxious.
Several other studies have shown that babies that were subjected to more affection by parents or hospital staff showed stronger brain responses.
Dr Nathalie Maitre of the Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Ohio told Science Daily ;
“Making sure that preterm babies receive positive, supportive touch such as skin-to-skin care by parents is essential to help their brains respond to gentle touch in ways similar to those of babies who experienced an entire pregnancy inside their mother’s womb.”
Because of these new findings, Maitre and her colleagues are now designing new ways to provide a positive touch in their NICU.
They’re also investigating how a baby’s brain responses to the sound of a person’s voice.
Studies have previously shown that hugging can help with a child’s emotional development, but these new findings suggest that being tactile with our children helps them to become well rounded in all aspects of their development.
As parents, I don’t think we need much of an excuse to give our kids a cuddle but if we did need incentive, helping to strengthen our baby’s brain and social development is definitely a good reason.
