General Movements: A Behavioral Biomarker of Later Motor and Cognitive Dysfunction in NICU Graduates

Pediatr Ann. 2018 Apr 1;47(4):e159-e164. doi: 10.3928/19382359-20180325-01.

Abstract

Infants who have graduated from a neonatal intensive care unit require close follow-up because they have a greater chance of experiencing later motor and cognitive difficulties; however, these difficulties are often challenging to identify at an early age. The General Movement Assessment is a low-cost and highly reliable tool that can indicate abnormal neurological development in young high-risk infants, but it has not yet been widely implemented in the United States. In this review, we discuss the literature about the use of the General Movement Assessment in high-risk infants and how to implement the tool in a clinical setting. [Pediatr Ann. 2018;47(4):e159-e164.].

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Behavior Rating Scale*
  • Biomarkers
  • Cognitive Dysfunction / diagnosis*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Intensive Care Units, Neonatal
  • Male
  • Motor Activity
  • Neurologic Examination / methods*
  • Risk Assessment / methods

Substances

  • Biomarkers