Abstract
ObjectivesTo assess kinematic parameters and proximal and distal reaching adjustments of infants at biological or environmental risk and compare with reaching performance of six-month-old full-term infants without known risk factors.MethodsThis blinded cross-sectional study included 62 infants at six months of age divided into three independent groups: Group with no known risk factor (NRF), 28 full-terms with no risk factors; Low SES group (LSES):19 full-terms classified as low socioeconomic status and no biological risk; Very preterm group (VPT), 15 very preterm infants at six months corrected age and no environmental risk. Infants were placed in a reclined baby chair at 45°, and a malleable and unfamiliar object was presented to the infant at 5-second intervals to elicit reaching movements.ResultsInfants from LSES presented reaching duration (p = 0.032, Cohen’s f = 0.349) and movement unit (p = 0.033, Cohen’s f = 0.351) significantly higher than VPT group. Horizontal hand orientation was moderately associated with infants at environmental risk (p = 0.031; Cramer’s V = 0.30).ConclusionInfants of low socioeconomic status perform less functional reaching movements than very preterm infants at six months corrected age. Socioeconomic status may impact more on reaching skills than biological risk. Given the importance of reaching for infant development, low-cost public health strategies are needed to identify possible delays.
Highlights
Reaching is defined as the ability to locate and stare at an object and stretch out one or both hands toward its direction to touch or grasp it [1,2]
This blinded cross-sectional study included 62 infants at six months of age divided into three independent groups: Group with no known risk factor (NRF), 28 full-terms with no risk factors; Low SES group (LSES):19 full-terms classified as low socioeconomic status and no biological risk; Very preterm group (VPT), 15 very preterm infants at six months corrected age and no environmental risk
Reaching allows exploration and manipulation of objects in the environment. This ability can be assessed in detail using kinematic analysis [7] and a set of variables that provide important information regarding quality of movement, such as straightness and smoothness [8,9]
Summary
Reaching is defined as the ability to locate and stare at an object and stretch out one or both hands toward its direction to touch or grasp it [1,2]. This skill emerges in full-term infants approximately at 3–4 months of age [3,4,5], characterizing one of the first stages of voluntary motor development [6]. Infants first perform bimanual reaching (proximal adjustment) [15] with hands in horizontal orientation (distal adjustment) [16] and improve this skill by performing unimanual reaching with the hand open and oriented vertically [16]
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