title: Early development of head movements between birth and 4 months of age: a longitudinal study.
abstract: The control of head posture and movement play a significant role in the early development of motor skills. However, a detailed kinematic study charting this development is currently lacking. Hence, the authors performed a longitudinal study of 18 infants between birth and 4 months charting changes in head posture and movements when tracking a visual object. The results showed that beyond 2 months, the head was more often held at the body midline and this was accompanied by an increase in the number, extent, and speed of head movement. Further, it was found that head movements were organized into movement units. Movement units initially increased in number, but after 3 months decreased in number and increased in duration, especially after peak velocity. This more symmetrical profile velocity points to more controlled head movements after 3 months of age.
authors.affiliation: a NENEM, Department of Physiotherapy , University Federal of São Carlos , Brazil.
authors.forename: Carolina Daniel de
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Lima-Alvarez
authors.forename: Eloisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tudella
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: van der Kamp
authors.forename: Geert J P
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Savelsbergh
mesh_terms: D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D019416:Head Movements / Q000502:physiology*; D006803:Human Development / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology
keywords: development; head control; head posture; infants; kinematics