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Segmental Trunk Control in Sitting Between Full-Term and Preterm Infants Raised in the Orphanage Setting
Nurul Fauziah Arifin1, Wantana Siritaratiwat1, Ponlapat Yonglitthipagon2
1Research Center in Back, Neck, Other Joint Pain and Human Performance (BNOJPH), Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Khon Kaen University, Muang, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand.
Insights
Full-term infants show better trunk control than preterm/low-birth-weight infants, highlighting the importance of daily activities for infant postural development. Enhancing orphanage environments is key.
Area of Science:
- Infant development
- Motor control
- Pediatric research
Background:
- Postural control is crucial for infant sitting independence.
- Infants in orphanages may experience environmental and biological challenges impacting trunk control.
- Understanding trunk control differences is vital for optimizing infant development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare segmental trunk control between full-term and preterm/low-birth-weight infants.
- To examine the correlation between trunk control and daily activities in institutionalized infants.
- To identify factors influencing trunk control in orphanage settings.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the Segmental Assessment of Trunk Control (SATCo) for trunk control assessment.
- Employed the Daily Activity of Infant Scale (DAIS) to observe daily activities.
- Compared trunk control and activity levels between full-term and preterm/low-birth-weight infant groups.
Main Results:
- Full-term infants demonstrated significantly higher trunk control scores than preterm/low-birth-weight infants.
- A strong positive correlation was observed between trunk control and engagement in daily upright/antigravity activities.
- Both prenatal factors and orphanage environmental influences were found to impact trunk control.
Conclusions:
- Infant trunk control is significantly influenced by prenatal factors and the orphanage environment.
- Promoting upright posture, movement exploration, and quality caregiver interactions can enhance trunk control.
- Interventions should focus on improving orphanage environments and caregiving practices to support infant postural development.
Abstract:
Background: Postural control is vital for independent sitting in infants. Those in orphanages face environmental limitations and biological factors that affect trunk control. This study aimed to compare segmental trunk control between full-term and preterm/low-birth-weight infants and examine the correlations with daily activities. Methods: Thirty-three infants (16 full-term, 17 preterm/low birth weight) were assessed using the Segmental Assessment of Trunk Control (SATCo), and 27 were observed with the Daily Activity of Infant Scale (DAIS) over three weekdays and two weekends. Results: A slight significant difference (p < 0.05) in SATCo scores was found, with full-term infants scoring higher. Results found that both prenatal exposure and environmental factors could influence trunk control. A significant correlation (rs = 0.771, p < 0.001) between trunk control and daily activities underscores the importance of upright and antigravity activities for postural development. A small-to-medium effect size suggested limited practical significance due to being conducted in a single orphanage with a homogeneous sample. Conclusions: The findings emphasize enhancing the orphanage environment and child-rearing practices to support trunk control development through upright posture, movement exploration, and high-quality caregiver interactions.
