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Assessment of motor development using the Alberta Infant Motor Scale in full-term infants
Büşra Kepenek-Varol1, Zeynep Hoşbay2, Selçuk Varol3
1Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Sciences, Nuh Naci Yazgan University, Kayseri, Turkey.
Insights
The Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) is suitable for Turkish infants over 4 months old. Early scores (0-3 months) showed lower gross motor development in Turkish infants compared to Canadian norms.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Motor Development Assessment
Background:
- The Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) is a widely used tool for assessing gross motor skills in infants.
- Norm-referenced scales are crucial for identifying developmental delays and tracking progress.
- Understanding cultural and regional variations in motor development is essential for accurate assessment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare gross motor development scores of Turkish infants using the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) with established Canadian norms.
- To determine the representativeness of current AIMS reference values for Turkish full-term infants.
- To evaluate the applicability of the AIMS for assessing gross motor development in a Turkish population.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 411 Turkish infants (≥38 weeks gestational age, birth weight ≥2500g) was assessed.
- The Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) was administered by a qualified physiotherapist.
- Mean AIMS scores of the Turkish sample were statistically compared with Canadian normative data.
Main Results:
- No significant differences in AIMS scores were found between Turkish and Canadian infants from 1 to 18 months of age.
- Turkish infants exhibited significantly lower AIMS scores at 0- < 1 month (p=0.025) and 2- < 3 months (p=0.042) compared to Canadian norms.
- These findings suggest potential early developmental variations in gross motor skills.
Conclusions:
- The Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) is a potentially valid tool for assessing gross motor development in Turkish children, particularly after 4 months of age.
- Early AIMS scores (0-3 months) may require careful interpretation in the Turkish population due to observed differences from Canadian norms.
- Further research, including a full Turkish validation study, is recommended to confirm the AIMS's utility and refine its application in Turkey.
Abstract:
The Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) is a well-known, norm-referenced scale that evaluates the gross motor development of children from birth to 18 months. The aim of the study was to compare the Canadian norms with the AIMS scores of a Turkish sample of infants, and to investigate whether the current reference values of the AIMS are representative for Turkish full-term infants. The study was conducted with 411 Turkish infants of both sexes (195 girls and 216 boys), born with gestational age 38 weeks and older, weighing ≥2500 g at birth. Motor performance of all the cases at different ages were assessed with the AIMS which was used by a physiotherapist. The mean AIMS scores of Turkish infants were compared with the norm values of the original AIMS established in a Canadian sample of infants. The results showed no statistically significant differences between the AIMS scores of Turkish and Canadian infants during the first 18 months of life except at 0- < 1 and 2- < 3 months of age. The AIMS scores were significantly lower in Turkish infants than in Canadian infants at 0- < 1 (p=0.025) and 2- < 3 (p=0.042) months of age. In conclusion, the AIMS can be used in Turkish children to assess gross motor development, especially after 4 months of age. However, this paper was presented as a preliminary study to compare AIMS results between Turkish and Canadian infants, and further studies are needed to realize the Turkish validation of AIMS.
