Segmental Trunk Control in Sitting Between Full-Term and Preterm Infants Raised in the Orphanage Setting.

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.