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Early Identification of Atypical Motor Performance of Infants With Prenatal Opioid Exposure
Kara Boynewicz1, Suzann K Campbell, Alyson Chroust
1Departments of Physical Therapy (Dr Boynewicz) and Psychology (Dr Chroust), East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, Tennessee; Department of Physical Therapy (Dr Campbell), University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois.
Insights
Prenatal opioid exposure (POE) is linked to lower infant motor skills. The Test of Infant Motor Performance (TIMP) can identify these developmental delays early in newborns with POE.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal development
- Developmental pediatrics
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Prenatal opioid exposure (POE) is a growing concern impacting infant neurodevelopment.
- Early identification of motor deficits in infants exposed to opioids is crucial for timely intervention.
- Understanding the specific impact of POE on infant motor performance is essential for clinical practice.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the relationship between prenatal opioid exposure (POE) and motor performance in newborn infants.
- To assess the utility of the Test of Infant Motor Performance (TIMP) in identifying developmental delays in infants with POE.
- To determine if pharmacological treatment modifies the motor outcomes in infants with POE.
Main Methods:
- The Test of Infant Motor Performance (TIMP) was administered to three groups of infants: 19 with POE requiring pharmacological treatment, 27 with POE not requiring treatment, and 25 controls without POE.
- Infant motor performance was quantitatively assessed using standardized TIMP scoring.
Main Results:
- Infants with POE, irrespective of pharmacological treatment, demonstrated significantly lower TIMP scores compared to infants without POE.
- No significant difference in TIMP scores was observed between infants with POE who received pharmacological treatment and those who did not.
- These findings indicate a consistent impact of POE on motor performance regardless of medical intervention.
Conclusions:
- The TIMP is a sensitive tool for detecting motor performance differences in infants with prenatal opioid exposure.
- Prenatal opioid exposure is associated with diminished motor performance in newborns, independent of pharmacological treatment.
- Healthcare providers and early intervention specialists can utilize the TIMP for early detection and referral of motor delays in infants affected by POE.
Purpose:
To investigate the association between prenatal opioid exposure (POE) and newborn infants' motor performance to aid in the early identification of developmental delays.
Methods:
Nineteen infants with POE requiring pharmacological treatment, 27 infants with POE without pharmacological treatment, and 25 infants without POE were assessed via the Test of Infant Motor Performance (TIMP).
Results:
Infants in both groups with POE had lower TIMP scores than infants without POE. There was no difference between the TIMP scores of infants with POE who required pharmacological treatment and infants with POE who did not require pharmacological treatment.
Conclusions:
The TIMP can detect differences in motor performance of infants with POE. Regardless of whether infants required pharmacological treatment, POE was associated with lower motor performance. Those working in hospital or early intervention settings can use the TIMP to identify early delays in infants with POE and refer for intervention.
