A Longitudinal Observational Study of Early Spontaneous Motor Activity, Postural Control, and Motor Optimality Score (MOS-R) as Predictors of Psychomotor, Cognitive, and Sensory Development at 18 and 36 Months in Preterm and Term Infants, With Consideration of Early Therapeutic Intervention

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are investigating early motor behavior in infants to understand how it relates to their later psychomotor development. The study includes both preterm and full-term infants and aims to determine if early motor quality can predict later developmental outcomes. It also explores whether infants with similar early motor scores develop differently depending on their birth status, and if early therapy might improve outcomes for those with low motor scores. The study uses a combined retrospective and prospective observational design. It involves analyzing previously recorded videos of early spontaneous movements scored with the Motor Optimality Score - Revised (MOS-R). Caregivers are then contacted when the child reaches 18 and 36 months to complete questionnaires about motor skills, communication, sensory processing, and social behavior. Some infants with atypical early motor behavior may have received the Vojta method, a therapy using specific pressure points to improve motor control, although this therapy is not assigned by the study. Participants are involved through initial video recordings from routine care and later follow-up questionnaires completed by caregivers at 18 and 36 months. Researchers assess the association between early movement quality and later development in various domains. The study monitors developmental outcomes over several years, combining retrospective data with prospective follow-up to provide a comprehensive view of early predictors of neurodevelopmental trajectories.

Motor Development and Early Predictors of Psychomotor Outcomes in Preterm and Term Infants Assessed by MOS-R and Caregiver Questionnaire at 18 and 36 Months