Identification and Targeted Intervention for Selective Motor Control of the Lower Extremities in Infants and Toddlers

2021

Previously, children with spastic CP were not diagnosed until they failed to reach developmental milestones and/or developed spasticity. As infants at risk with CP can now be identified as early as 3months corrected age using the Generalized Movement Assessment, there is a need to develop improved motor assessments and targeted interventions for infants and toddler. With this grant funding, we developed a draft of an infant SMC evaluation to use as a working prototype. We recruited infants ages 3 months through 3 years of age including infants with typical development (TD) and those who have been identified as having cerebral palsy (CP) or being at risk for CP. After giving oral parental consent, these infants participate in a videotaped Zoom teleconference to record and observe lower extremity movement as well as providing medical history and participating in a gross motor evaluation using the Developmental Assessment of Infants and Young Children, second edition (DACY-2) Gross Motor subdomain. To date, families of 28 infants and children have consented to participate and 27 have participated in the data collection (video, medical history and DACY-2) to date. Ages range from 3 months to 46 months corrected or chronological age. (12 have identified CP or motor delay with risk for CP and 16 have TD). Families of all infants and toddlers have agreed to repeat these assessments periodically over the coming year and repeat evaluations have been completed for 8 participants making a total of 35 video sessions. All have agreed to the use of video recordings for education and future research. Review of videotapes and adjustments to draft of the infant SMC assessment tool are ongoing. Aspects include infant behavioral state, positioning, stimulus, response and potential quantification scales. A Demonstration poster explaining the importance of infant lower extremity SMC, the development of a tool and the implications for early intervention was accepted by the AACPDM for presentation at the 2021 Annual meeting. In addition, we have a family education component. We are coordinating efforts with the UCLA NICU Early Identification team, NICU follow-up clinic, Intervention Program (for infants and toddlers age 0-3 years), Center for CP clinic (Orthopedic Surgery and Physical Medicine), Department of Pediatric Neurology and Rehabilitation Services (Physical Therapy) to share information and improve the flow of referrals and service delivery.

Babies, Cerebral Palsy, Selected Motor Control, At Risk

Training Trainees, Performing Direct and/or Demonstration Services, Performing Research or Evaluation, Developing & Disseminating Information

Health-Related Activities

Students/Trainees (long or intermediate trainees), Professionals and Para-Professionals, Children/Adolescents with Disabilities/SHCN

Specific Groups

Single-County

N/A