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Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
Published on: August 25, 2014
NON-VERBAL BEHAVIOR OF 6- AND 12-MONTH OLD INFANTS HAVING THE NEUROLOGICAL PROBLEMS FROM THE BIRTH: A PILOT STUDY
Insights
Comparing infants with neurological conditions to healthy peers, this study found differences in eye and hand behaviors. These non-verbal cues may predict infant development problems.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Ethology
- Pediatric Neurology
Background:
- Infant non-verbal behavior is crucial for understanding development.
- Early identification of neurological issues in infants is vital for timely intervention.
- Existing diagnostic tools may benefit from supplementary behavioral assessments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the non-verbal behavior of infants with neurological diagnoses (risk infants) against healthy peers (norm infants).
- To identify potential predictive markers for infant developmental problems based on behavioral differences.
- To assess the utility of short-term non-verbal behavior observation in estimating infant cognitive condition.
Main Methods:
- An ethological approach was used for comparative analysis.
- Double-blind, controlled, uninterrupted observation of 1- and 2-minute video recordings.
- Behavioral elements of 6- and 12-month-old infants in a home environment were analyzed for duration and sequence.
Main Results:
- Significant differences in eye and hand activities were observed between risk and norm infants.
- Risk infants were more prone to looking away from objects held in their hands.
- Twelve-month-old risk infants exhibited reduced communicative and explorative behaviors compared to norm infants.
Conclusions:
- Specific non-verbal behavioral differences can serve as predictive markers for infant developmental issues.
- Infant eye and hand activities are key areas for observing developmental deviations.
- Short-term non-verbal behavior observation can be a valuable addition to diagnostic scales for assessing infant cognitive status.
Abstract:
Ethological approach was applied to compare a non-verbal behavior of the 6- and 12-month old infants having neurological diagnosis by the birth (P 91.8 according to ICD-10 scale; risk infants) with the behavior of their healthy (norm infants) peers. The double-blind controlled uninterrupted observation of 1- and 2-minute videos was done to estimate duration and sequence of behavioral elements manifested by infants in familiar home environment during everyday activity. We suggested that if the specific behavioral differences exist it would be considered as predictive markers of infant's development problems. Ethological analysis indicated that the main behavioral differences were related with infant's eye and hand activities. The risk infants of the both age distracted from an object in their hands "looking aside" more often than their healthy peers. The 12-month old risk infants displayed less communicative and explorative abilities than their norm peers. It was proposed that the short-term observations of nonverbal behavior would be useful like an addition to a diagnostic scale to estimate briefly an infant's cognitive condition.
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