Personalizing the human connection
By Carol C. Harder
Extensive research by the University of Miami’s Touch Research Institute has revealed that human touch – both physically and verbally – has wide-ranging physical and emotional benefits for people of all age groups.
In the Institute’s experience, tender touch and positive oral communication lessened pain, improved pulmonary function, increased growth in infants, lower blood glucose and improved immune function.
Human communication (verbally and physically) is important for all ages, but by the time children reach their teen years, they receive only half as much of that type of “connection” as they did in the early part of their lives. And for adults – that amount is event less.
Newborn babies who are talked to and touched gain weight faster have superior mental and motor skill development. In the earliest stages of a child’s life, touch and verbal communication is a critical part of the establishment of a bond between parents and child.
Adolescents and adults need such communication, too, but societal inhibitions get in the way.
There is some evidence tha the level of aggression and violence among children is related to a lack of positive touching and positive verbal communication.
In two separate studies, the Touch Research Institute’s researchers found that French children received more touching and positive verbal communication from parents and their peers – and were less aggressive than their American counterparts.
Pay attention to this lesson from the Animal Kingdom.
The moment a ewe (female sheep) gives birth to a lamb, she instinctively begins to talk to her offspring. She licks her baby and constantly talks – making soft “baaing” sounds – the new newborn. She continues to do this without failure – knowing that there is no replacement for the sounds she makes, or her tender touch. The lamb fills its young lungs with air and replies with soft bleats of its own in response. Their communication with each other gives one another life.
If we can’t learn the importance of tender touch and positive verbal communication through this example – then perhaps we human beings really are not as smart as we think we are.
(As an added “cue” – this idea extends to not relying so heavily on texts and Facebook and Instagram and Pinterest, etc. – but real face-to-face contact at any opportunity you can.)