Validation of the Motor Functional Development Scale for Young Children to predict motor outcome in preterm infants: A 2 years follow-up study

ABSTRACT

Objective

To examine the validity of the Motor Functional Development Scale for Young Children (DF-mot) to predict motor developmental delays in preterm infants.

Method

This retrospective cohort study includes 67 preterm infants who were assessed at 3–5 months by the DF-mot and the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS); and at 22–25 months by the Bayley Scales of Infant-Toddler Development (Bayley-III). The properties of the DF-mot and the AIMS were examined based on their ability to predict motor delays on the Bayley-III.

Results

The DF-mot gross motor subscale −2 SD and the AIMS 10th centile showed best balance between sensitivity and specificity (respectively Se = 57.1%, Sp = 71.7% and Se = 50%, Sp = 73.5%). Overall, the DF-mot fine motor subscale fails to predict motor delays.

Conclusion

The DF-mot shows a lack of sensitivity and of positive predictive value to accurately predict motor outcome at 2 years in preterm infants.

Abbreviations

CA, Corrected age; AIMS, Alberta Infant Motor Scale; DF-mot/PML, Motor Functional Development Scale for Young Children postural motor locomotor; DF-mot/EHGC, Motor Functional Development Scale for Young Children eye-hand grip coordination; Bayley-III/GM, Gross motor subscale of the Bayley Scales of Infant-Toddler Development Third Edition; Bayley-III/FM, Fine motor subscale of the Bayley Scales of Infant-Toddler Development Third Edition.

KEYWORDS:

• Neurodevelopment
• preterm infant
• predictive validity
• DF-mot
• AIMS

Highlight

• Prediction of motor outcome at early age remains difficult, particularly in very preterm infants.

• The DF-mot/PML −2 SD reveals the best balance between sensitivity and specificity to predict motor delays.

• The DF-mot/EHGC performed at 3-5 months globally failed to predict fine motor outcome at 22-25 months.

Acknowledgments

The results described in this paper rely on data from the databases of the Newborn College, which is maintained by the Belgische Vereniging voor Neonatologie - Groupement Belge de Neonatologie (BVN-GBN), Belgium. The content of this paper is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the BVN-GBN.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Credit Authorship Contribution Statement

LL and AM conceived the study design and performed the data collection. LL performed the statistical analysis. LL and SZ drafted the manuscript. All authors discussed the results and revised the manuscript.

Supplementary Material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/17518423.2023.2171148

Additional information

Funding

This study did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.