Abstract
Fifty nondrug-exposed infants and 74 cocaine/polydrug-exposed infants were evaluated on the Movement Assessment of Infants (MAI). The test provides an assessment of risk for motor dysfunction at age 4 months. There was a significant difference in total risk scores between the two groups of infants with cocaine-exposed infants having higher total risk scores ( p < .0001). Categorical risk scores revealed significant differences between the infants in muscle tone, primitive reflexes, and volitional movement with cocaine-exposed infants scoring more poorly in each category ( p < .0001). The groups scored differently on 11 of the 49 MAI items in those categories. Placement of infants within previously established ranges of risk scores (0–7 = no risk; 8–13 questionable risk; > 13 = high risk) revealed a significant difference in distribution between the two groups ( p < .0001). Earlier studies of the effects of intrauterine drug exposure have not revealed significant differences in motor development. The MAI demonstrated differential assessments of risk for motor dysfunction between cocaine-exposed and nondrug-exposed infants. Limitations of this study include small sample size, polydrug usage, and knowledge of mother/infant involvement in a drug treatment program.
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