NEUROBEHAVIORAL VS FUNCTIONAL MOTOR ASSESSMENT OF THE PRETERM INFANT

Objectives: Objectives: To compare the Test of Infant Motor Performance (TIMP), a test of functional motor performance with the Einstein Neonatal Neurobehavioral Assessment Scale (ENNAS), an evaluation of newborn neurological integrity.

Methods: Design: This was a cross-sectional examination of a prospective cohort at term age. Subjects: Preterm infants born at <32 weeks gestational age and birth weight <1500 grams (n=102) were recruited sequentially from the NICU. Exclusion criteria: Diagnoses of metabolic disorders, cardiac, chromosomal, or congenital abnormalities. Methods: The TIMP and the ENNAS were administered at term on the same day by two experienced occupational therapists using a random order of assignment. The ENNAS emphasizes reflex assessment. The TIMP uses a sequence of selected movements and tasks to represent the functional ecology of the caregiving environment.

Results: Results: The ENNAS and the TIMP total scores were strongly correlated (r=-0.64; p<.05), as were the ENNAS total scores and the five TIMP categories of severity: (Spearman r=-0.46).

Conclusion: Conclusions: The results suggest that, while the two tests share a similar construct as a measure of neurological integrity, the emphasis of the TIMP on ecological validity has an additional utility for treatment planning. The ENNAS did not offer itself to interpretation for clinical interventions.