The Effect of Massage Stimulation on Sleep Quality among Stunted Children

Sleep is crucial for a toddler's growth. Children's physical health, cognitive abilities, socioemotional processes, and behavioral functioning can be impacted by inadequate sleep, poor sleep quality, and irregular sleep schedules, which could affect the growth and well-being of children. Touch and massage have demonstrated positive benefits on sleep and relaxation in children. This study aims to determine the effect of massage stimulation on sleep quality in stunted children aged 12 – 60 months. This study is a quasi-experimental design involving 21 stunted children who received the 15-minute massage treatment three times a week for four weeks. Children's sleep quality was measured using the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire. There was a significant change in CHSQ scores before and after massage intervention (p=0.000). The mean CHSQ score before massage was higher (20,809) than after massage intervention (16,761). It was concluded that massage stimulation improves sleep quality among stunted children.