The Power of Touch

The power that safe and healthy contact through human touch has on our physical and mental health is often overlooked. Human touch comes in different forms and lets us communicate our emotions to others (i.e., sorrow, love, empathy, comfort, and reassurance). A few benefits of touch on our mental wellbeing include an increase in feelings of connectedness and a decrease in feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression; this is because touch helps reduce our heart rate and soothe our nervous system.

More importantly, infants need healthy, safe and consistent physical touch for healthy development in areas of social, emotional, and cognitive learning; examples of this include, learning how to regulate their emotions (e.g., stress), developing a stronger attachment within the parent-child bond, understanding the process of social reward, and learning about key constructs (e.g., temperature, weight, or texture). These are a few reasons why it’s important for children to experience physical affection from a parent or caregiver beginning at birth. Touch creates a sense of comfort for children as they learn to navigate the world around them.

Some ways you can use healthy and safe touch in your daily interactions with your child is through giving them a kiss on the cheek or forehead to express your love, giving them a hug to show them that you care, rubbing their back when they need some encouragement, holding their hand to provide comfort and support, or giving them a high-five when they have reached a goal. Always teach your child healthy physical boundaries through modeling consent, telling them they can say no to others when they don’t want physical contact, and respecting their choices about physical contact. Modeling healthy connections and relationships through safe physical contact is key in helping your child learn that they’re safe, they can regulate their emotions, and that they can enjoy human contact.

Navjot Pannu, Midwestern University Clerkship Student

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