UNAIR NEWS – UNAIR Traditional Medicine students Fadlila Ilmi Zarkasi and Impian Delillah Jazmine, promote stunting prevention in the Gading community health center (Puskesmas), Tambaksari, Surabaya, on Thursday and Friday, February 16-17, 2023.
They were supervised by UNAIR alumnus, Muhammad Chairul Ramadhan SKes, who works at the Traditional Medicine Clinic at the Puskesmas Gading. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), stunting is impaired growth and development in children, measured by height and weight for ages below standards. The event started with practicing Tui na massage and motor and sensory stimulation.
Tui na massage
To 46 mothers and stunted children, Impian explained that Tui na massage is used to improve children’s appetite. “The Tui na massage increases blood circulation in the spleen and digestive system, it improves the appetite and nutrition absorption,” she said.
The procedure combines pressure on specific acupuncture points to stimulate energy flow in the body’s meridians. The massage contains eight techniques that focus on grasp and touch.
The procedure includes palpating the thumbs 300 times, twisting the palm of the hand and twisting the palm back, and pressing the Hegu point at the muscle area between the thumb and index finger. Then, press the finger pads and rotate the navel. Press the right and left sides of the belly together, followed by the leg or zu san li (acupressure point at the lower side of the leg). At last, massage the child’s back by lightly pressing the backbone downwards 3 times. Pinch the right and left sides of the backbone upwards three to five times.
The massage only takes three minutes and must be done once a day for six consecutive days. There can’t be any stop.
“The massage is for a six-month-old baby to ten years old child. When the child stops eating veggies and rice, the massage can solve that. Besides, it can also build more bonding between the mother and child,” said the Traditional Medicine student.
Motor and sensory stimulation
Sensory stimulation can increase children’s language, cognitive, and problem-solving development. There are many educative sensory games, such as pearl texture sensory play, magic sand, and thorn ball.
The motor stimulation for six to nine months old babies was conducted using tummy time, going back and forth, and circle time using a gym ball. Brain exercise was also promoted to twelve months old babies by drawing with two hands.
“Touching different textures allow children to adapt their oral to taste various food textures. Therefore, motor and sensory stimulations are highly important,” Chairul, the UNAIR alumnus, said.
In the end, he pointed out that animal-based proteins are the only food promoted to overcome the stunting problem. In fact, if the child’s nutrients are not perfectly absorbed, the food cannot be processed properly.
“Hopefully, the tui na massage and motor and sensory stimulation will increase the nutrient intake,” he said.
Author: Viradyah Lulut Santosa
Editor: Khefti al Mawalia
