Effectiveness of a training program for the acquisition of motor milestones in infants: a randomized clinical trial.

Abstract

Background: In infants, the acquisition of all motor milestones is considered an expression of correct motor development during the first months of life. An association between typical motor development of the newborn and cognitive areas has been established. Few studies have evaluated the efficiency of parents' knowledge of expected milestones in healthy infants. This study aims to determine whether parents' knowledge of specific tasks can improve the achievement of all gross motor milestones in the newborn.

Method: The current study examined gross motor development in term-born infants without pathologies at 9, 12, and 15 months and the effectiveness of a training program developed for parents. The research group comprised 82 full-term infants divided into an experimental group (EG) and a control group (CG) of 41 subjects each. A randomized clinical trial study was performed. The routine follow-up program consisted of four informative sessions on the experimental group at the beginning of each trimester with information about the expected motor milestones and how to stimulate their infants to achieve them. The gross motor development of the participants was measured using the Alberta Infant Motor Scale. An ANCOVA test was performed to assess the possible influence of sex, type of birth, or the presence of siblings controlled and uncontrolled as confounding variables on the results.

Results: The initial baseline assessment showed no statistical differences between groups (p > 0,05). After controlling confounding variables, at 9 months the EG scored 5,5 points higher than the CG (p < 0,001). At 12 months, EG scored 3,7 points higher than CG (p < 0,001). At 15 months, EG scored 2,2 points higher than CG (p = 0,001). The experimental group scored significantly higher, with a 25-point higher percentile in each assessment.

Conclusion: A learning program aimed at increasing parents' knowledge of their infant´s gross motor development improved it. The information collected will help professionals who support parents in monitoring their babies. Future studies using larger sample sizes, analysing other domains of global infant development, or investigating the possible influence of other parental factors are recommended.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov ID NCT04693494. Registered December 28, 2020, retrospectively registered. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04693494 .