Early Intervention Involving Specific Task-Environment-Participation (STEP) Protocol for Infants at Risk: A...

Area of Science:

• Developmental Pediatrics
• Early Intervention Programs
• Motor Development

Background:

• Infants at biological risk are susceptible to developmental delays.
• Early intervention is crucial for optimizing outcomes in at-risk infants.
• The STEP protocol integrates motor skills, environmental factors, and participation for enhanced development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility of the STEP protocol in infants at biological risk.
• To evaluate the preliminary effects of the STEP protocol on motor skills and participation.
• To compare the STEP protocol with a standard intervention for at-risk infants.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 28 infants aged 3-9 months at risk for developmental delay.
• Intervention groups: STEP protocol (n=14) and Standard Intervention (n=14), with parent-led delivery.
• Outcome measures included the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS), Young Children's Participation and Environment Measure (YC-PEM), and Affordances in the Home Environment for Motor Development (AHEMD-IS).

Main Results:

• The STEP protocol demonstrated good recruitment and retention rates.
• The STEP group showed significantly higher scores on the AIMS (motor skills) post-intervention (p=0.014).
• Significant improvements were observed in participation frequency (p=0.02) and engagement (p=0.03) for the STEP group compared to the standard intervention.

Conclusions:

• The STEP protocol is a feasible and effective intervention for infants at biological risk.
• The findings highlight the importance of integrating specific motor skill stimulation, participation, and family involvement in early interventions.
• The STEP protocol shows superior outcomes compared to standard interventions, suggesting its potential for broader clinical application.