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Feasibility and reliability to assess the motor development of infants exposed to gestational COVID-19 using the
Amanda Oliveira Arguelho1, Adrielly Beatriz Damazio Nazario2, Amanda Jesus Ribeiro2
1Graduate Program in Movement Sciences, Integrated Health Institute, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Brazil.
Insights
Remote assessment of infant motor skills using the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) is feasible and reliable for infants exposed to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) during pregnancy.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Neurology
- Public Health
Background:
- Prenatal exposure to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) may pose risks to infant development.
- Assessing infant motor development is crucial for early detection of potential issues.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the feasibility and reliability of remote synchronous assessment of infant motor performance using the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS).
- To compare motor performance in infants with prenatal SARS-CoV-2 exposure to a normative sample.
Main Methods:
- An exploratory cross-sectional study involving 20 infants with prenatal COVID-19 exposure.
- Remote synchronous assessments using the AIMS via video call, recorded for scoring by three independent observers.
- Parent and assessor feedback on assessment barriers and facilitators.
Main Results:
- High parental ease (90%) in understanding and replicating commands.
- Good to excellent inter- and intra-rater reliability for AIMS assessments across all postures.
- No significant differences in motor performance between SARS-CoV-2 exposed and unexposed infants.
Conclusions:
- Remote synchronous AIMS assessment is a feasible and reliable method for evaluating motor development in infants with prenatal SARS-CoV-2 exposure.
- This approach is valuable, particularly during periods requiring social distancing.
- Infant motor development appears unaffected by prenatal SARS-CoV-2 exposure in this cohort.
Abstract:
The virus infection severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) during pregnancy is a risk factor for developmental problems. Our objectives were to explore feasibility measures and verify the reliability of synchronously employing the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) remotely in infants with prenatal exposure to SARS-CoV-2. Additionally, we explored the motor performance of these infants relative to an unexposed normative sample. An exploratory cross-sectional study was carried out and included 20 infants (10.65±4.99 months) whose mothers tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) during pregnancy. Infants were assessed with the AIMS remotely and synchronously via video call by a physical therapist. The calls were recorded. Three independent observers scored the recordings. Parents and assessors answered questions regarding barriers to and facilities for the assessments. A higher proportion of parents (90%) found it easy to understand and replicate the commands provided by the therapist during the assessment (P<0.001). The assessors reported not encountering difficulty in most assessments. Interobserver reliability was good in the standing posture [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.734-0.942, P<0.001] and excellent (95% CI: 0.970-0.996, P<0.001) in prone, supine, and sitting. Intra-rater reliability was excellent (95% CI's: 0.876-1.000, P's<0.001) in all postures. There were no differences between the motor performance of exposed infants compared to the unexposed normative sample. It was feasible to assess the motor performance of infants exposed to SARS-CoV-2 via video call with good to excellent inter- and intra-rater reliabilities, making it an important approach when social distancing is needed.
