title: Assessment of motor behaviour in high-risk-infants at 3 months predicts motor and cognitive outcomes in 10 years old children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The general movement assessment has mainly been used to identify children with cerebral palsy (CP). A detailed assessment of quality of infant motor repertoire using parts of the "Assessment of Motor Repertoire - 3 to 5 Months" which is based on Prechtl's general movement assessment can possibly identify later motor and cognitive problems in children without CP.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to determine whether analysis of quality of infant motor repertoire has predictive value for motor and cognitive outcomes at age 10 in children at risk for later neurological impairment.
  
  
  METHODS
  A longitudinal study design was used.
  
  
  METHODS
  Video-recordings of 40 "neurologically high-risk" infants at 14 weeks post-term age were analysed with respect to motor repertoire.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fidgety movements were classified as present or absent. Quality of concurrent motor repertoire was classified as normal if smooth and fluent and abnormal if jerky, monotonous or stiff. Poor motor outcome was defined as a score ≤ 5th centile on the Movement-Assessment-Battery-2, while poor cognitive outcome as total IQ <85 on Wechsler Intelligence Scale-III.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the high-risk children with presence of fidgety movements, poor motor and/or cognitive outcome at 10 years was identified by abnormal concurrent motor repertoire at 14 weeks post-term age in 86% (95% CI: 0.60-0.96) of the children. On the other hand, 71% (95% CI: 0.47-0.87) of those with normal motor and cognitive outcomes were identified by presence of fidgety movements and normal motor repertoire.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Assessment of quality of infant motor repertoire may be a valuable early clinical marker for later impaired motor and cognitive outcomes in high-risk children who do not develop CP.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Clinical Services, St. Olav University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway. toril.fjortoft@stolav.no
authors.forename: Toril
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fjørtoft
authors.forename: Kristine Hermansen
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Grunewaldt
authors.forename: Gro C Christensen
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Løhaugen
authors.forename: Siv
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mørkved
authors.forename: Jon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Skranes
authors.forename: Kari Anne I
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Evensen
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006948:Hyperkinesis; D007223:Infant; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology*; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D011379:Prognosis
keywords: Assessment of motor repertoire; General movements; Motor and cognitive outcomes; Predictive value