Objective: Importance of infant growth and development and its effects on human health, made researchers to devote their resources to find new methods in order to improve growth and developmental indicators. Thus in this study, we emphasize on effects of massage therapy on growth and development.
Materials & Methods: This research was a randomized control trial with random selection of 92 infants who requested medical care from Qom Imams Khomeini clinic in 2009. Data which gathered includes demographic information and indicators of growth including (weight, height, head, arm and chest circumference). Developmental evaluation checklist was used for 2 months old infants’ developmental assessment and for 4 months old infants we used “Ages and Stages Questioner". Infant were divided into case and control groups. In case group, mothers touched their infants 15 minutes with Swedish massage every night before their bed time for two months and then indicators of growth and development were examined and compared.
Results: considering sex, age, growth and developmental indicators were same for two groups. After intervention, weight gain (P<0/001, chest (P<0.001) and arm (P<0.001) circumference were significant difference between two groups. The head and height circumference were higher in case group, but there was no meaningful difference. There was a significant difference considering the development in 4 month old infants in the case group, in gross motor (P<0.03) and personal- social (P<0.001) sub group but in communication was borderline(p=0/058). There was no meaningful difference considering fine motor and problem- solving subgroup.

Conclusion: The massage effect on infant growth and development.