The complementary roles of the motor optimality score and Hammersmith infant neurological examination

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Neurology
• Developmental Pediatrics
• Infant Assessment

Background:

• Early identification of neurodevelopmental problems in infants is crucial.
• Established tools like General Movements Assessment, Hammersmith Infant Neurologic Examination (HINE), and MRI are recommended for risk assessment.
• The Motor Optimality Score-Revised (MOS-R) is another tool used in infant assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the agreement and correlation between the Motor Optimality Score-Revised (MOS-R) and the Hammersmith Infant Neurologic Examination (HINE).
• To evaluate the combined utility of MOS-R and HINE for early detection of neurodevelopmental risks in infants.

Main Methods:

• The study involved 79 infants with corrected ages between 9 and 17 weeks.
• MOS-R and HINE were administered concurrently on the same day.
• Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to analyze agreement, and Spearman correlation coefficient for correlation analysis.

Main Results:

• Moderate agreement (ICC = 0.627) was found between MOS-R and HINE global scores.
• A high correlation (r = 0.744, p < 0.001) was observed between the two assessment scales.
• Infant participants had a median gestational age of 36 weeks and birth weight of 2340 grams.

Conclusions:

• MOS-R and HINE demonstrate significant correlation and moderate agreement in assessing infant neurodevelopment.
• While overlapping, the scales assess distinct components of infant development, suggesting complementary roles.
• Utilizing both MOS-R and HINE provides a more comprehensive evaluation of infant neurodevelopmental status and risk.