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Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
Published on: August 25, 2014
Known-groups analysis of the harris infant neuromotor test
Antoinette M Megens1, Susan R Harris, Catherine L Backman
1Ottawa Children's Treatment Centre, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Insights
The Harris Infant Neuromotor Test (HINT) effectively identifies infants at high risk for neuromotor delays. This screening tool shows promise for early detection in infants up to 12 months old.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric neurology
- Developmental pediatrics
- Infant assessment
Background:
- The Harris Infant Neuromotor Test (HINT) is a screening tool for infants aged 3-12 months.
- It identifies potential neuromotor, cognitive, or behavioral concerns in both healthy and high-risk infants.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the HINT's ability to differentiate between high-risk and low-risk infants for neuromotor delays.
Main Methods:
- The HINT was administered by trained healthcare professionals.
- Scores from 54 high-risk infants and 412 low-risk infants were compared using a t test.
Main Results:
- Higher mean HINT scores were observed in high-risk infants compared to low-risk infants.
- Significant differences were detected at 4, 5, 7, and 8 months of age.
- No significant differences were found at 6 months.
Conclusions:
- The HINT demonstrates effectiveness in distinguishing between infants at high and low risk for neuromotor delays.
- Findings support the HINT's utility as a screening tool for infants within their first year of life.
Background And Purpose:
The Harris Infant Neuromotor Test (HINT) is a screening tool designed to identify neuromotor or cognitive/behavioral concerns in infants who are healthy or at high risk between the ages of 3 and 12 months. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the HINT could distinguish between infants at high risk and infants at low risk for neuromotor delays.
Subjects And Methods:
Following HINT administration by trained health care professionals, scores were compared for 54 high-risk infants and 412 low-risk infants with a t test.
Results:
Mean HINT scores for infants at low risk were lower than mean scores for infants at high risk, as would be expected in that higher scores indicate higher risk. Significant differences were found at 4, 5, 7, and 8 months. At 6 months, there were no significant differences. There were not enough high-risk infants in other subgroups for reliable comparison.
Discussion And Conclusion:
The HINT appears to discriminate effectively between infants who are at low risk and infants who are at high risk for neuromotor delays, supporting the use of the HINT as a screening tool for infants in the first year of life.
