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Quantified Assessment of Infant's Gross Motor Abilities Using a Multisensor Wearable
Published on: May 17, 2024
A home-video method to assess infant gross motor development: parent perspectives on feasibility
M Boonzaaijer1, F van Wesel2, J Nuysink3
1Research Group Lifestyle and Health, Institute of Human Movement Studies, HU University of Applied Sciences, PO Box 12011, 3501, AA, Utrecht, The Netherlands. marike.boonzaaijer@hu.nl.
Insights
This study found that a home-video method using smartphones is a feasible way for parents to monitor infant gross motor development. While time constraints and technical issues were noted, parents found the process valuable and insightful.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Physical Therapy
- Infant Development Monitoring
- Digital Health Technologies
Background:
- Smartphone cameras enable longitudinal home-video assessments for infant development.
- A home-video method was developed for parents to assess infant gross motor development using the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS).
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the feasibility of the AIMS home-video method from the parents' perspective.
- To understand parental perceptions of using smartphone-based video recording for infant motor assessments.
Main Methods:
- A sequential mixed-methods design was employed with 45 parents of typically developing infants (0-19 months).
- Feasibility was assessed using questionnaires and semi-structured interviews to gather data on practical aspects, parental effort, and emotional responses.
Main Results:
- The home-video method was perceived as low effort, similar to normal play, with acceptable parental effort levels.
- Key constraints included time planning for recording and technical issues with the web portal (28% of parents).
- Positive aspects included perceived value for family use, professional feedback, increased parent-infant interaction, and enhanced parental awareness of infant motor development.
Conclusions:
- The AIMS home-video method is feasible for parents of typically developing infants.
- Practical constraints identified can likely be addressed in future iterations of the method.
- Further research is recommended to assess applicability for infants at risk of motor development problems.
Background:
Current use of smartphone cameras by parents create opportunities for longitudinal home-video-assessments to monitor infant development. We developed and validated a home-video method for parents, enabling Pediatric Physical Therapists to assess infants' gross motor development with the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS). The objective of the present study was to investigate the feasibility of this home-video method from the parents' perspective.
Methods:
Parents of 59 typically developing infants (0-19 months) were recruited, 45 parents participated in the study. Information about dropout was collected. A sequential mixed methods design was used to examine feasibility, including questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. While the questionnaires inquired after the practical feasibility of the home-video method, the interviews also allowed parents to comment on their feelings and thoughts using the home-video method.
Results:
Of 45 participating parents, 34 parents returned both questionnaires and eight parents agreed to an interview. Parent reported effort by the infants was very low: the home-video method is perceived as similar to the normal routine of playing. The parental effort level was acceptable. The main constraint parents reported was time planning. Parents noted it was sometimes difficult to find the right moment to record the infant's motor behavior, that is, when parents were both at home and their baby was in the appropriate state. Technical problems with the web portal, reported by 28% of the parents were also experienced as a constraint. Positive factors mentioned by parents were: the belief that the home videos are valuable for family use, receiving feedback from a professional, the moments of one-on-one attention and interaction with their babies. Moreover, the process of recording the home videos resulted in an increased parental awareness of, and insight into, the gross motor development of their infant.
Conclusion:
The AIMS home-video method is feasible for parents of typically developing children. Most constraints are of a practical nature that can be addressed in future applications. Future research is needed to show whether the home-video method is also applicable for parents with an infant at risk of motor development problems.
