Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 12, 2025
Quantified Assessment of Infant's Gross Motor Abilities Using a Multisensor Wearable
Published on: May 17, 2024
Relationship between sensory processing skills and motor skills in 12-month-old infants
Ramazan Yildiz1, Ayse Yildiz1, Rabia Zorlular2
1Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Sciences, Erzurum Technical University, Erzurum, Turkey.
Insights
Preterm infants at 12 months often show sensory processing issues impacting motor skills. Early identification of these sensory-motor relationships is key for effective interventions in infants.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Neuroscience
- Occupational Therapy
Background:
- Sensory processing problems in infants can impact motor skill development.
- Early identification is crucial for timely interventions and optimal development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify sensory processing difficulties in 12-month-old preterm and term infants.
- To examine the relationship between sensory processing and motor skills in these infants.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study of 61 infants (28 preterm, 33 full-term) at 12 months corrected age.
- Sensory processing assessed using the Test of Sensory Functions in Infants (TSFI).
- Gross and fine motor skills evaluated with the Peabody Developmental Motor Scales-2 (PDMS-2).
Main Results:
- Preterm infants exhibited more frequent sensory processing difficulties.
- Significant positive associations found between motor scores (gross/fine) and TSFI total scores, tactile pressure reactivity, and ocular-motor control.
- Gross motor skills correlated with adaptive motor function; fine motor skills linked to visual-tactile integration.
Conclusions:
- Preterm infants at 12 months are at higher risk for sensory processing problems affecting motor skills.
- A clear relationship exists between sensory and motor processing in infants.
- Occupational and physical therapists should consider this sensory-motor link when planning interventions for infants.
Introduction:
Identifying sensory processing problems of 12-month-old preterm and term children and defining their relationship with motor skills are essential for appropriate interventions and optimal sensory-motor development. This study aimed to determine sensory processing difficulties in 12-month-old babies and examine their relationship with motor skills.
Methods:
This cross-sectional study included 61 infants (28 preterm and 33 full-term, ages 12 months). The infants' sensory processing skills were evaluated using the Test of Sensory Functions in Infants (TSFI), and their gross and fine motor skills were assessed with the Peabody Developmental Motor Scales-2 (PDMS-2).
Results:
Sensory processing difficulties were more common in preterm babies. Multiple linear regression models indicated a significant positive association between PDMS-2 gross/fine motor scores and TFSI total scores, reactivity to tactile deep pressure, and ocular-motor control in the total sample. Furthermore, there was a relationship between gross motor and adaptive motor function, and fine motor scores were found to be associated with visual-tactile integration sensory scores.
Conclusions:
Preterm babies are more likely than their full-term peers to have sensory processing problems around the age of one, which can affect their motor skills. The results support the relationship between children's sensory and motor processing skills. Practitioners such as occupational and physical therapists should be alert to this relationship in infants with sensory processing and motor problems. Taking this relationship into consideration when planning intervention programs can be a guide for an effective intervention.
Related Concept Videos
01:14Piaget's Stage 1 of Cognitive Development
01:30Information Processing Approach
01:22Language Development
The critical period for language acquisition suggests that the ability to acquire language is at its peak early in life. As people age, this proficiency decreases. Language development begins very...