An Open-Label Uncontrolled Trial of the Efficacy and Safety of a Hug with Singing and Rocking for Promotion of Relaxation in Pediatric Patients with Severe Motor and Intellectual Disabilities: Study Protocol

Children with severe motor and intellectual disabilities (SMID) are continually exposed to stress due to their need to receive daily care. In particular, chronic physical and acute mental stress derived from daily medical care due to unstable health status are issues specific to SMID children. Therefore, it is important to approach these issues for the maintenance of their lives and quality of life. Seventeen children with a SMIDmedical care dependent group (SMID-MCDG) score of 25 or more will be enrolled in this study. Intervention by a hug while singing and rocking will be performed once a week for 24 weeks. The practitioner will sing, and slowly rock the child back and forth. Primary endpoint is high-frequency component of heart rate variability by frequency analysis. Secondary endpoints are low-frequency/high-frequency components of heart rate variability by frequency analysis, activity of salivary amylase, the incidence of adverse events, and changes in appearance. Frequency analysis of heart beat changes and salivary amylase activity are used as physiological indexes for assessing response to being held while singing and rocking. In this study, we will examine the efficacy and safety of hugging while singing and rocking as a practice of Ryouiku to promote relaxation in SMID-MCDG children.