Research: Home visits by health visitors promote health, wellbeing of children

Home visits by health visitors promoting health and positive parenting are invaluable in the early years of a child's life, research has confirmed.

A literature review of interventions to manage infant colic was carried out with a particular focus on dietary modifications, pharmacology interventions, alternative therapies and behavioural interventions.

The article, published in Primary Health Care journal, suggests that for some infants dietary modifications and use of hypoallergenic, hydrolysed whey, or hydrolysed casein-based formulas may be beneficial.

Behaviour interventions, with the provision of supportive home visits to help parents develop competent parenting skills, are also influential.

Author Jean Cowie from the Robert Gordon University school of nursing and midwifery, Aberdeen, concluded that the evidence reinforces the role of the health visitor and the value of home visits in promoting health and positive parenting strategies in the early years of a child's life.     

Ms Cowie said: 'Home visiting can be instrumental in identifying and addressing early signs of insecure attachment and bonding, postnatal depression, or domestic abuse, all of which have been linked with infant colic.'

'The available evidence suggests that regular and supportive home visits by health visitors to reassure parents and to enhance their confidence and competence in their parenting ability is effective in alleviating the symptoms of infantile colic, as well as the associated maternal stress and potential risk of postnatal depression.'