title: Intra-individual consistency in the quality of neonatal general movements.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The qualitative assessment of general movements (GMs) proved to be a highly sensitive and specific diagnostic tool for the assessment of the integrity of the young nervous system. It is essential that the quality of GMs remains consistent in an individual during a given recording at a certain date.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to investigate the intra-individual consistency of the quality of GMs during one recording.
  
  
  METHODS
  39 preterm infants were recorded at least twice; some were recorded three times. In all, 88 recordings were available but three recordings were excluded due to frequent crying, seizures or hypokinesia. Three scorers assessed 2-3 sequences of these 85 GM recordings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The inter-scorer agreement was high (kappa 0.85-0.94). Intra-individual consistency revealed a kappa of 0.90 with a 95% CI (0.51, 1.00) for preterm GMs, 0.96 with a 95% CI (0.57, 1.00) for writhing GMs, and 0.92 with a 95% CI (0.53, 1.00) for fidgety GMs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The individual quality of GMs remains consistent for a neonate or young infant at a certain date.
authors.affiliation: School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Akmer
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mutlu
authors.forename: Christa
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Einspieler
authors.forename: Peter B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Marschik
authors.forename: Ayse
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Livanelioglu
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D015588:Observer Variation; D014743:Videotape Recording