Are general movements at 3-5 months correlated and compatible with the Bayley-III at 1,5-2 years age?

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Neurology
• Developmental Pediatrics
• Infant Assessment

Background:

• Early identification of developmental problems in high-risk infants is critical for timely intervention.
• General movements assessment (GMs) and Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, third edition (Bayley-III) are key tools for infant neurodevelopmental assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare neurodevelopmental outcomes and Bayley-III scores at 1.5-2 years with fidgety General Movements (GMs) assessed at 3-5 months corrected age.
• To evaluate the predictive value of GMs and Bayley-III for identifying developmental problems in infants.

Main Methods:

• One hundred twenty-six infants (57 female, 69 male) were assessed using GMs at 3-5 months corrected age.
• The same infants underwent the Bayley-III assessment at 1.5-2 years of age.
• Neurodevelopmental outcomes were analyzed in relation to both assessment scores.

Main Results:

• GMs revealed 21 infants with absent fidgety movements and 6 with abnormal fidgety movements.
• Bayley-III indicated low scores (-2SD) in 19 infants for motor, 13 for language, and 18 for cognitive domains.
• Overall, 25.4% of infants presented with various neurodevelopmental problems.
• GMs demonstrated moderate compatibility with Bayley-III (r=0.4, p < 0.001), though Bayley-III underestimated motor impairment rates.
• GMs proved superior to Bayley-III in predicting neurodevelopmental outcomes at 1.5-2 years.

Conclusions:

• General movements assessment is a more effective predictor of later neurodevelopmental outcomes compared to the Bayley-III in this cohort.
• Both Bayley-III and GMs are valuable for assessing infant outcomes, but results require careful interpretation.
• Further research may refine the combined use of these tools for comprehensive infant neurodevelopmental surveillance.