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Effectiveness of a training program for the acquisition of motor milestones in infants: a randomized clinical trial
Luis Fernández-Sola1, Beatriz Cano-Díez2, Yessica Pons-Solaz3
1Health Sciences Faculty, San Jorge University, 50830, Villanueva de Gállego, Saragossa, Spain.
Insights
Educating parents about infant motor milestones significantly enhances their baby's gross motor development. This knowledge empowers parents to effectively stimulate their child's progress, leading to better outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Developmental Psychology
- Public Health
Background:
- Motor milestones are crucial indicators of healthy infant development.
- Parental knowledge of infant milestones is underexplored.
- This study investigates the impact of parental education on infant motor development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if educating parents about expected gross motor milestones improves infant achievement.
- To assess the effectiveness of a parent-focused training program.
Main Methods:
- A randomized clinical trial involving 82 healthy, full-term infants.
- An experimental group received four trimester-based educational sessions on motor milestones and stimulation techniques.
- The Alberta Infant Motor Scale assessed gross motor development at 9, 12, and 15 months.
Main Results:
- The experimental group demonstrated significantly higher gross motor scores at 9, 12, and 15 months compared to the control group (p < 0.001).
- The experimental group achieved a 25-point higher percentile in motor development assessments.
- No significant baseline differences were observed between the groups.
Conclusions:
- Parental education programs effectively enhance infants' gross motor development.
- Findings support healthcare professionals in guiding parents on infant development monitoring.
- Further research with larger samples and broader developmental domains is recommended.
Background:
In infants, the acquisition of all motor milestones is considered an expression of correct motor development during the first months of life. An association between typical motor development of the newborn and cognitive areas has been established. Few studies have evaluated the efficiency of parents' knowledge of expected milestones in healthy infants. This study aims to determine whether parents' knowledge of specific tasks can improve the achievement of all gross motor milestones in the newborn.
Method:
The current study examined gross motor development in term-born infants without pathologies at 9, 12, and 15 months and the effectiveness of a training program developed for parents. The research group comprised 82 full-term infants divided into an experimental group (EG) and a control group (CG) of 41 subjects each. A randomized clinical trial study was performed. The routine follow-up program consisted of four informative sessions on the experimental group at the beginning of each trimester with information about the expected motor milestones and how to stimulate their infants to achieve them. The gross motor development of the participants was measured using the Alberta Infant Motor Scale. An ANCOVA test was performed to assess the possible influence of sex, type of birth, or the presence of siblings controlled and uncontrolled as confounding variables on the results.
Results:
The initial baseline assessment showed no statistical differences between groups (p > 0,05). After controlling confounding variables, at 9 months the EG scored 5,5 points higher than the CG (p < 0,001). At 12 months, EG scored 3,7 points higher than CG (p < 0,001). At 15 months, EG scored 2,2 points higher than CG (p = 0,001). The experimental group scored significantly higher, with a 25-point higher percentile in each assessment.
Conclusion:
A learning program aimed at increasing parents' knowledge of their infant´s gross motor development improved it. The information collected will help professionals who support parents in monitoring their babies. Future studies using larger sample sizes, analysing other domains of global infant development, or investigating the possible influence of other parental factors are recommended.
Trial Registration:
ClinicalTrials.gov ID NCT04693494. Registered December 28, 2020, retrospectively registered. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04693494 .
