title: Gross motor development in full-term Greek infants assessed by the Alberta Infant Motor Scale: reference values and socioeconomic impact.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aims of this study were to investigate gross motor development in Greek infants and establish AIMS percentile curves and to examine possible association of AIMS scores with socioeconomic parameters.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mean AIMS scores of 1068 healthy Greek full-term infants were compared at monthly age level with the respective mean scores of the Canadian normative sample. In a subgroup of 345 study participants, parents provided, via interview, information about family socioeconomic status. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to evaluate the relationship of infant motor development with socioeconomic parameters.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean AIMS scores did not differ significantly between Greek and Canadian infants in any of the 19 monthly levels of age. In multiple linear regression analysis, the educational level of the mother and also whether the infant was being raised by grandparents/babysitter were significantly associated with gross motor development (p=0.02 and p<0.001, respectively), whereas there was no significant correlation of mean AIMS scores with gender, birth order, maternal age, paternal educational level and family monthly income.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Gross motor development of healthy Greek full-term infants, assessed by AIMS during the first 19months of age, follows a similar course to that of the original Canadian sample. Specific socioeconomic factors are associated with the infants' motor development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Physical Therapy, "Aghia Sophia" Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece. Electronic address: syreggelas@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Syrengelas
authors.affiliation: First Department of Pediatrics, Athens University Medical School, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Vassiliki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kalampoki
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Physical Therapy, "Aghia Sophia" Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Paraskevi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kleisiouni
authors.affiliation: Neonatal Unit of Iaso Childrens Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Konstantinou
authors.affiliation: First Department of Pediatrics, Athens University Medical School, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Tania
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Siahanidou
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D016014:Linear Models; D009035:Mothers; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
keywords: AIMS; Assessment scale; Infant motor assessment; Motor skills; Reference values