Date Presented Accepted for AOTA INSPIRE 2021 but unable to be presented due to online event limitations. There is conflicting evidence on the influence of infant equipment for motor development. The primary purpose of this study was to examine associations between various types of infant equipment use and motor milestone achievement. Preliminary findings highlight the importance of promoting physical exploration rather than restricting movement to facilitate motor development in infants. Primary Author and Speaker: Bryan M. Gee Contributing Authors: Nicki Abuchon-Endsley, Hillary Swann-Thomsen

OBJECTIVE. The aim of this study was to analyze the correlation between sensory processing and motor development in preterm infants. METHOD. We included 30 preterm and 30 term infants with corrected and chronological ages between 10 and 12 mo. We used the Test of Sensory Functions in Infants to evaluate sensory processing and the Alberta Infant Motor Scale to evaluate motor development. RESULTS. The Spearman correlation test indicated a strong positive relationship between sensory processing and motor development in preterm infants (r = .63, p < .001). CONCLUSION. Given the relationship between sensory processing and motor development in the preterm group, the evaluation of sensory processing and motor development in preterm infants was considered necessary for the effective implementation of physiotherapy assessment and interventions.

OBJECTIVE. Children with fine-motor problems and handwriting difficulties often are referred for occupational therapy. The objective of this study was to test the efficacy of a short-term treatment on the fine-motor and graphomotor skills of first-grade students. METHOD. We recruited 52 first-grade students who had scored below the 21st percentile on the Visual–Motor Integration test from schools in a city with a low socioeconomic, mixed (Arab and Jewish) population. The children were randomly divided into an intervention group and a control group. Before and after the intervention, we administered two tests to both groups. RESULTS. Students in the intervention group made significant gains both in the total score on the graphomotor test (Developmental Test of Visual Perception) and on the fine-motor test (Bruininks–Oseretsky Motor Development Scale). CONCLUSION. This study provided preliminary evidence of the efficacy of a short-term graphomotor intervention. The results increased the feasibility of implementing occupational therapy intervention in the Israeli school system, allowing treatment of more children using the same resources.

Objective. Native American children have not been widely represented in the normative samples of standardized tests assessing motor development. This study investigated the cultural relevance of the Peabody Developmental Motor Scales (PDMS) in 2-year-old Native American children who are typically developing. Method. The PDMS was administered to a sample of 44 Pueblo children who were 24 months through 35 months of age and typically developing. Each child’s family also completed a parent questionnaire addressing the child’s development and family demographics. Participant scores were compared with those of the normative sample. Results. The sample scored significantly lower than the normative sample (p ≤ .001) on the Fine Motor Scale, and, when gender was taken into consideration, all but the older girls (30 months–35 months of age) had significantly lower scores. All but the younger girls (24 months–29 months of age) scored within the normal range on the Gross Motor Scale. Conclusion. Our results with this small sample suggest that caution be used when comparing motor performance (especially fine motor abilities) of 2-year-old Native American children against the PDMS normative data.

Objective. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of haptic attributes of objects on infants’ grasping patterns and evaluate whether this effect is influenced by the infant’s age (i.e., phase of motor development). Method. Grasping patterns of 180 infants who were typically developing were measured by the Posture and Fine Motor Assessment of Infants (PFMAI); the PFMAI-I was administered to infants 2 months to 6 months of age (n =60), and the PFMAI-II was administered to infants 6 months to 12 months of age (n = 120). Grasping patterns were compared for ages by month and for three objects, each with differing haptic features. The interaction between age and object was analyzed. Results. Grasping patterns were significantly different when scores by age in months were compared. In addition, grasping patterns differed depending on the object and its haptic features and were influenced by the interaction between object held and age. Certain haptic features were associated with primitive grasp at younger ages and precision grasp at older ages. More mature skiffs were observed when the objects’ haptic features appeared to match an infant’s perceptual-motor skill. Conclusion. The haptic features of objects influence an infant’s grasping patterns, and this influence changes with the infant’s age. These results suggest that therapists attempt to match the haptic features of objects to the infant’s perceptual-motor skiff in intervention in order to enhance grasping patterns.

This study compared the effectiveness of videotaped and live instruction in demonstrating a developmental evaluation to occupational therapy students. Twenty-three students were randomly assigned to either the videotape or the live instruction group. While the videotape group watched a 25-minute commercially available videotape demonstrating the Milani-Comparetti Motor Development Screening Test, the live group received the same information from an instructor. A written examination that assessed student knowledge of the purpose and procedures of the evaluation tool served as the pretest and posttest. After the posttest, the students were asked to answer questions regarding their learning experience. Results indicated no difference in test scores between the two groups. Although both groups rated the learning experience as good, all students stated a preference for live over videotaped instruction because of the opportunity to ask questions and interact with the instructor. These findings suggest that although videotaped instruction may be an effective teaching method, there may be ways to enhance student satisfaction with its use.