Parental Beliefs About the Motor Development of Dutch Infants Born Very Preterm: A Cohort Study.

PURPOSE: To explore the influence of preterm birth on parental beliefs about gross motor development and parents' supportive role in infants' motor development. METHODS: Prospective cohort study: Parents of infants born very preterm (VPT) (gestation ≤32 weeks, birth weight <1500 g, without perinatal complications) and parents of healthy infants born full-term (FT) completed the Parental Beliefs on Motor Development questionnaire. RESULTS: Questionnaires from 37 parents of infants born VPT, aged 3.5 to 7.5 months (corrected), and 110 parents of infants born FT, aged 3.5 months, were analyzed. Parents of infants born VPT believed stimulating motor development to be more important than parents of infants born FT (F = 5.22; P = .024; ηp2 = 0.035). Most parents of infants born VPT (82.4%) and FT (85.2%) acknowledged their role in supporting motor development. More parents of infants born VPT (41.2% vs 12.0%) believed they should follow their infant's natural developmental pace. CONCLUSION: Knowledge of parental beliefs and parents' supporting role in motor development is relevant for tailoring pediatric physiotherapists' interventions with families.

Reliability of Using a Smartphone Application to Objectify Skull Deformation.

PURPOSE: To establish intrarater and interrater reliability of photographs made in a newly developed smartphone app to determine the severity of infantile skull deformation by taking a cranial photograph of an infant's head. METHODS: Using the app, 1 pediatric physical therapist and 2 pediatric physical therapy master students photographed heads of 30 infants aged up to 12 months receiving treatment for asymmetric or delayed motor development. Modified Cranial Vault Asymmetry Index and Cranial Index determined the severity of skull deformation. RESULTS: Intrarater reliability was excellent both for mCVAI and CI, with an ICC(3,1) = 0.97, and ICC(3,1) = 0.98, respectively. Interrater reliability with an ICC(2,1) = 0.97 for the mCVAI, and ICC(2,1) = 0.99 for the CI was excellent too. CONCLUSION: The reliability of the Skully Care App proved to be excellent when used by pediatric physical therapists.Supplemental Digital Content 1. Video Abstract available at: http://links.lww.com/PPT/A399 .

Modeling a gross motor curve of typically developing Dutch infants from 3.5 to 15.5 months based on the Alberta Infant Motor Scale.

BACKGROUND: Interindividual variability in gross motor development of infants is substantial and challenges the interpretation of motor assessments. Longitudinal research can provide insight into variability in individual gross motor trajectories. PURPOSE: To model a gross motor growth curve of healthy term-born infants from 3.5 to 15.5 months with the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) and to explore groups of infants with different patterns of development. METHODS: A prospective longitudinal study including six assessments with the AIMS. A Linear Mixed Model analysis (LMM) was applied to model motor growth, controlled for covariates. Cluster analysis was used to explore groups with different pathways. Growth curves for the subgroups were modelled and differences in the covariates between the groups were described and tested. RESULTS: In total, data of 103 infants was included in the LMM which showed that a cubic function (F(1,571) = 89.68, p < 0.001) fitted the data best. None of the covariates remained in the model. Cluster analysis delineated three clinically relevant groups: 1) Early developers (32%), 2) Gradual developers (46%), and 3) Late bloomers (22%). Significant differences in covariates between the groups were found for birth order, maternal education and maternal employment. CONCLUSION: The current study contributes to knowledge about gross motor trajectories of healthy term born infants. Cluster analysis identified three groups with different gross motor trajectories. The motor growth curve provides a starting point for future research on motor trajectories of infants at risk and can contribute to accurate screening.

Factors associated with gross motor development from birth to independent walking: A systematic review of longitudinal research.

AIM: The aim of this study is to gain more insight into child and environmental factors that influence gross motor development (GMD) of healthy infants from birth until reaching the milestone of independent walking, based on longitudinal research. BACKGROUND: A systematic search was conducted using Scopus, PsycINFO, MEDLINE and CINAHL to identify studies from inception to February 2020. Studies that investigated the association between child or environmental factors and infant GMD using longitudinal measurements of infant GMD were eligible. Two independent reviewers extracted key information and assessed risk of bias of the selected studies, using the Quality in Prognostic Studies tool (QUIPS). Strength of evidence (strong, moderate, limited, conflicting and no evidence) for the factors identified was described according to a previously established classification. RESULTS: In 36 studies, six children and 11 environmental factors were identified. Five studies were categorized as having low risk of bias. Strong evidence was found for the association between birthweight and GMD in healthy full-term and preterm infants. Moderate evidence was found for associations between gestational age and GMD, and sleeping position and GMD. There was conflicting evidence for associations between twinning and GMD, and breastfeeding and GMD. No evidence was found for an association between maternal postpartum depression and GMD. Evidence for the association of other factors with GMD was classified as 'limited' because each of these factors was examined in only one longitudinal study. CONCLUSION: Infant GMD appears associated with two child factors (birthweight and gestational age) and one environmental factor (sleeping position). For the other factors identified in this review, insufficient evidence for an association with GMD was found. For those factors that were examined in only one longitudinal study, and are therefore classified as having limited evidence, more research would be needed to reach a conclusion.

Cross-Cultural Validity: Canadian Norm Values of the Alberta Infant Motor Scale Evaluated for Dutch Infants.

PURPOSE: To examine whether the Canadian normative values of the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) are appropriate for Dutch infants. METHOD: In a cross-sectional study, 499 infants developing typically (0.5-19 months) were assessed using the AIMS home video method. The scaling method was used for calculating item locations of the Dutch sample, and Welch test to compare Canadian and Dutch raw scores. RESULTS: THE: AIMS items (45 of 58) met the criterion for stable regression to calculate item locations of the Dutch data set and compare these with the Canadian data set. Dutch infants passed 42 of 45 items at an older age. Most monthly age groups of Dutch infants had lower mean AIMS scores. CONCLUSION: The Canadian norms are not appropriate for the Dutch study sample. Dutch infants appear to develop in a similar sequence but at a slower rate. This has implications regarding the clinical use of the AIMS in the Netherlands.