Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 26, 2025
Quantified Assessment of Infant's Gross Motor Abilities Using a Multisensor Wearable
Published on: May 17, 2024
The Targeted Motor Control Screening Tool Is Valid for 4-Year-Old Children
Laura Brown1, Amanda Bacon2, Verity Pacey1
1Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia.
Insights
The Targeted Motor Control (TMC) tool effectively screens 4-year-olds for motor delays. This validated screening identifies children needing further assessment for timely intervention.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Motor Control Assessment
- Early Childhood Development
Background:
- Early identification of motor delays is crucial for timely intervention.
- Validated screening tools are essential for accurate developmental assessment in young children.
- The Targeted Motor Control (TMC) tool requires validation for use in 4-year-old populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the validity of the Targeted Motor Control (TMC) screening tool.
- To compare the TMC tool against the Neurosensory Motor Developmental Assessment (NSMDA) in 4-year-old children.
Main Methods:
- A single cohort observational study was conducted.
- Seventy-six children aged 3 years 9 months to 4 years 5 months participated.
- Children completed both the TMC and NSMDA assessments in a randomized order.
Main Results:
- Moderate positive correlations were found between the TMC and NSMDA overall and in specific areas (r=0.40-0.67).
- A low positive correlation was observed between the NSMDA sensorimotor grade and TMC sensory score (r=0.35).
- An optimal TMC cut-off score of <9 demonstrated 82.4% sensitivity and 66.7% specificity for identifying children at risk.
Conclusions:
- The TMC is a valid performance-based screening tool for identifying 4-year-olds at risk of motor delay.
- The TMC facilitates early identification of developmental concerns, enabling timely intervention.
- Utilizing validated screening tools like the TMC is recommended for children with potential developmental issues.
Objective:
The objective was to determine the validity of the Targeted Motor Control (TMC) screening tool with the Neurosensory Motor Developmental Assessment (NSMDA) in 4-year-old children.
Methods:
In this single cohort observational study, children (3 years 9 months to 4 years 5 months) completed the TMC and the NSMDA in a randomized order 5 to 14 days apart.
Results:
Seventy-six children (mean age = 4 years 2 months; standard deviation = 2.5 months; n = 35 male) completed both assessments. Forty-two children performed within the normal range on the NSMDA. There were significant and positive moderate correlations between the item totals overall and for each area on the NSMDA and the TMC (r = 0.40-0.61), and between the NSMDA functional grade for each area and the corresponding TMC areas (r = 0.47-0.67). However, the correlation between the NSMDA sensorimotor functional grade and the TMC sensory score was significant but low and positive (r = 0.35). The optimal cut-off score for detecting children at risk of atypical development on the TMC was a score of <9 (n = 42) (sensitivity = 82.4%; specificity = 66.7%), with a positive likelihood ratio of 2.47 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.57-3.89) and a negative likelihood ratio of 0.26 (95% CI = 0.12-0.56).
Conclusion:
The TMC is a valid screening tool to identify 4-year-old children at risk of motor delay.
Impact:
Early identification of developmental concerns using a validated screening tool is recommended. The TMC is a valid performance-based screening tool that can be used to identify children at risk of atypical motor development who would benefit from further developmental assessment so that, if indicated, timely intervention can be implemented.
