Tummy Time Tracking: Concurrent-Validity of Wearable Sensors in Home Settings for Term and Preterm Infants.

Purpose: To assess the concurrent validity of 2 wearable sensors, GENEActiv (GA) and MonBaby (MB), for tracking tummy time in full-term and preterm infants at home.

Methods: Nineteen full-term infants and 13 infants born preterm, aged 3 to 6 months, wore GA and MB sensors during caregivervideo-recorded active play at home over 3 days. Prone (tummy time) durations detected by each sensor were compared to video for validation.

Feasibility of a Telehealth Model of Therapy Service Delivery After Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Discharge.

To determine the feasibility and acceptability of the Baby Bridge telehealth model, aimed at expediting the time to therapy activation after neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) discharge. High-risk infants needing therapy after NICU discharge had an in-person therapy visit in the NICU to consent and conduct standardized assessments, followed by weekly telehealth Baby Bridge services starting within 1 week of NICU discharge. Among eight families, the first Baby Bridge telehealth session occurred at an average of 6.

Developmental Trajectories of Emotional Availability Differ Between Dyads With Children With and Without Motor Delay.

This study investigated associations of gross motor delay and dyadic emotional availability (EA). Data were drawn from 99 children (Mean age = 8.79 [SD = 3.

Sitting and caregiver speech input in typically developing infants and infants with cerebral palsy.

The development of independent sitting is associated with language development, but the learning experiences underlying this relationship are not well understood. Additionally, it is unknown how these processes play out in infants with motor impairments and delays in sitting development. We examined the real-time associations between sitting and caregiver speech input in 28 5-7-month-old infants with typical development and 22 7-16-month-old infants with cerebral palsy who were at a similar stage of early sitting development.

Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Effect of Motor Intervention on Cognition, Communication, and Social Interaction in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Aims: Conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis on the effects of motor intervention on social, communication, and cognitive skills in individuals (0-21 years) with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Methods: Seven databases were used to search for randomized control trials (RCT) implementing a motor intervention for children with ASD; and measured social, communication, and cognitive outcomes. Twenty-three RCTs were selected with 66 outcomes and 636 participants (range of mean age: 4.

Sitting Together and Reaching to Play Physical Therapy Affects Dyadic Emotional Availability in Children With Neuromotor Delay and Their Families.

Objective: Emotional availability (EA) describes caregiver-child emotional attunement and is critical to fostering adaptive development. Although early physical therapist interventions adopt a family centered approach, the impact of interventions on families is often not quantified. This study compares EA in dyads receiving usual care-early intervention (UC-EI) versus sitting together and reaching to play (START-Play) in addition to UC-EI.

Gross Motor Function Measure-66 Item Sets for use with infants and toddlers at high risk for cerebral palsy: Construct validity and responsiveness.

Aim: To evaluate the construct validity and responsiveness of the Gross Motor Function Measure-66 Item Set (GMFM-66-IS), a standardized criterion-referenced observational measure, for use with children younger than 24 months with or at high risk for cerebral palsy (CP).

Method: Non-experimental integrative data analysis was performed on secondary data from three clinical trials involving children with or at high risk for CP (n = 79, 42 males, mean corrected age = 11.3 months [SD = 4.

Learning to play to learn in pediatric physical therapy.

Introduction: Play is a way for children to develop and learn about themselves in conjunction with the world. Using play as part of pediatric physical therapy is broadly recommended. This study investigates this integration of play and seeks to answer the research question: How do pediatric physical therapists (PPT) understand and manage embedding play in pediatric physical therapy with children aged 0-3?

Methods: This is a qualitative study in which we connect to an enactive theoretical framework.

Protocol for a multisite randomised controlled trial assessing the effect of the Telehealth for Early Developmental Intervention in babies born very preterm (TEDI-Prem) programme on neurodevelopmental outcomes and parent well-being.

Introduction: Infants born very preterm (VPT, <32 weeks' gestation) are at increased risk for neurodevelopmental impairments including motor, cognitive and behavioural delay. Parents of infants born VPT also have poorer mental health outcomes compared with parents of infants born at term.We have developed an intervention programme called TEDI-Prem (Telehealth for Early Developmental Intervention in babies born very preterm) based on previous research.

Neonatal and Home-Based PT Improves Neurodevelopmental Outcomes of Preterm Infants-A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Purpose: Investigate the effect of structured neonatal physical therapy program (SNP) on neurodevelopmental outcomes of moderate and late preterm (MLP) infants.

Methods: Sixty MLP infants were randomly allocated to usual care (UC) or SNP. A previous publication reported the effect of neonatal component of SNP at hospital discharge.

Evaluation of Potential Developmental Precursors to Executive Function in Young Children with Motor Delays: Exploratory Study.

This study aimed to explore whether early developmental abilities are related to future executive function (EF) in children with motor delays. Fourteen children with motor delays ( = 10.76, = 2.

Development and Initial Outcomes of the Interdisciplinary 'Early Identification and Intervention for Infants Network' (Ei3) in Los Angeles.

: The Early Identification and Intervention for Infants (Ei3) Network is an interdisciplinary team dedicated to improving early detection and intervention of cerebral palsy (CP) in California. This paper describes the key (1) awareness-building and (2) capacity-building strategies utilized by the Ei3 Network in the first two years. : Awareness-building methods included interactive conference discussions, resource deliverable creation, and the creation of a framework for dissemination.

A Modification to the Assessment of Problem-Solving in Play to Enhance Its Utility: Evaluation of Validity, Responsiveness, and Reliability.

Purpose: This study investigated the psychometric properties of a 4-second interval scoring modification of the Assessment of Problem-Solving in Play (ie, Assessment of Problem-Solving in Play 4-second interval scoring [APSP-4]).

Methods: A total of 95 children (3-48 months) with or at high risk for neuromotor delay were assessed with the APSP-4 and Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development-III (Bayley). APSP-4 and Bayley cognitive raw scores were compared by age (construct validity) and over time (responsiveness).

Neonatal therapy principles during transition from neonatal intensive care unit to home: A modified Delphi study.

Aim: To establish expert consensus on key principles for therapist-supported interventions supporting infants born preterm and their families during the transition from neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) to home in the USA.

Method: A diverse, interdisciplinary panel of experts evaluated the use of key intervention principles. A modified Delphi technique was used to seek opinions from independent and relevant interdisciplinary experts on the clarity of terminology, efficacy, and feasibility of implementing these intervention principles during the NICU-to-home transition.

Relationship Between Prone Skills and Motor-Based Problem-Solving Abilities in Full-Term and Preterm Infants During the First 6 Months of Life.

Motor experiences shape cognitive development in infancy, with the prone position being one such crucial motor experience in the first 6 months of life. Although the motor benefits of the prone position are well-documented, its influence on early cognitive abilities remains insufficiently explored. This study quantified the relationship between prone motor skills and motor-based problem-solving abilities in 48 full-term and preterm infants aged 3-6 months.

Tummy Time Tracking: Examining Agreement Between Parent Recall and Direct Observation in Infants.

Importance: Parent recall is the primary method for measuring positioning practices such as tummy time in infants. Concerns regarding the accuracy of parent recall have been raised in the literature. To date, no study has examined the agreement of tummy time recall measures with gold-standard methods.

Igniting the Fire of Discovery: Creating Partnerships Between Research, Education, and Practice.

In the 28th H.P. Maley Lecture, Stacey Dusing, PT, PhD, FAPTA, shares a perspective on the importance of clinician-scientists in bridging the chasm that currently exists between scholarship and clinical practice.

The impact of severity of motor delay, timing of task mastery, and START-play intervention on the development of means-end problem solving in young children.

Background: Children with motor delays are at increased risk for delayed means-end problem-solving (MEPS) performance.

Objectives: To evaluate children with motor delays: 1) the impact of motor delay severity and MEPS mastery timing on developmental trajectories of MEPS; and 2) the effectiveness of Sitting Together And Reaching To Play (START-Play) intervention for improving MEPS.

Methods: This represents a secondary analysis from a multi-site randomized controlled trial, with blinded assessors and prospective registration.

Infant massage as a stress management technique for parents of hospitalized extremely preterm infants.

Mothers of infants born extremely preterm requiring prolonged medical intervention in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) are at high risk of developing stress. Parent-administered infant massage is a well-established, safe intervention for preterm infants with many developmental benefits, but the published literature has mostly examined its impact on infants and parents through self-reported or observational measures of stress. The aim of this study was to measure salivary cortisol, a biomarker for stress, in extremely preterm infants and their mothers immediately pre and post parent-administered infant massage in order to detect potential changes in physiologic stress.

Early Mobility and Crawling: Beliefs and Practices of Pediatric Physical Therapists in the United States.

Purpose: To characterize beliefs of pediatric physical therapists (PTs) in the United States regarding the role of crawling in infant development and clinical practice.

Methods: Pediatric PTs reported their beliefs about early mobility and crawling, clinical approaches related to early mobility and crawling, and agreement with the removal of crawling from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)'s updated developmental milestone checklists in an online survey. Analyses examined associations between information sources and beliefs, between beliefs and clinical approaches, and between beliefs and CDC update opinions.

Slower pace in early walking onset is related to communication, motor skills, and adaptive function in autistic toddlers.

The onset of walking is a major developmental milestone in early childhood and is critical to the development of language and social communication. Delays in walking have been described in individuals with ASD. Yet, less is known about the quality of early gait development in toddlers with ASD and the relationship to motor skills, social communication, and language.

A Feasibility Study of a Physical and Occupational Therapy-Led and Parent-Administered Program to Improve Parent Mental Health and Infant Development.

Aims: Extremely premature birth puts infants at high risk for developmental delay and results in parent anxiety and depression. The primary objective of this study was to characterize feasibility and acceptability of a therapist-led, parent-administered therapy and massage program designed to support parent mental health and infant development.

Methods: A single cohort of 25 dyads - parents (24 mothers, 1 father) and extremely preterm (<28 wk gestation) infants - participated in the intervention.

Parent and Therapist Perceptions of the Feasibility, Acceptability, and Benefits of a Weekly Therapist-Led Massage Program for Extremely Preterm Infants in Neonatal Intensive Care.

Mothers of extremely preterm infants experience high rates of mental health disorders that impair maternal-infant interaction and lead to worse infant developmental outcomes. Therapist Education and Massage for Parent-Infant Outcomes (TEMPO) is a therapist-led program that standardizes the nature and frequency of parent education through weekly scheduled therapy sessions. Using a family-centered approach, the therapist facilitates positive maternal-infant interactions and massage interventions from birth throughout hospitalization with the goal of improving maternal mental health.

Sitting Capacity and Performance in Infants with Typical Development and Infants with Motor Delay.

Aims: Infants with neuromotor disorders demonstrate delays in sitting skills (decreased capacity) and are less likely to maintain independent sitting during play than their peers with typical development (decreased performance). This study aimed to quantify developmental trajectories of sitting capacity and sitting performance in infants with typical development and infants with significant motor delay and to assess whether the relationship between capacity and performance differs between the groups.

Methods: Typically developing infants ( = 35) and infants with significant motor delay ( = 31) were assessed longitudinally over a year following early sitting readiness.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on a Clinical Trial: A Quantitative Report on Study Engagement and Strategies.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic impacted clinical research worldwide potentially altering research findings. The study purpose was to measure the effect of the pandemic on recruitment, retention, assessment, and intervention completion rates.

Methods: Enrollment and participation data from a clinical trial evaluating efficacy of a physical therapy intervention for high-risk preterm infants were compared across 3 pandemic periods (February 2019 through November 2021).