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Biomedical subjects

M C Piper

Publications and source records attributed to M C Piper.

23 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1980

Effects of early home environment on the mental development of Down syndrome infants.

Changes in the mental development, as assessed with the Griffiths Mental Developmental Scales, of 37 Down syndrome infants over a 6-month period were correlated with scores obtained on the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME) Inventory. Three HOME Inventory subscales, Organization of Physical and Temporal Environment, Opportunities for Variety in Daily Stimulation, and Maternal Involvement, were significantly related to the Griffiths Personal-Social Scale. A stepwise discriminant analysis composed of three subscale scores from the HOME Inventory (Organization of Physical and Temporal Environment, Provision of Appropriate Play Materials, and Maternal Involvement) differentiated the infants into two groups according to the degree of decline in the total developmental quotient. The minimal decline group was associated with a better organization of the physical and temporal environment. Scores on the HOME Inventory obtained in infancy can be used to help predict the amount of decline in measured mental functioning in Down syndrome infants.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Developmental profile of Down's syndrome infants receiving early intervention.

Thirty-two infants with Down's syndrome, who were enrolled in an early intervention programme were followed during the first 2 years of life. Progress in five developmental domains was monitored prospectively by evaluating the children at 6, 12, 18 and 24 months. The largest degree of retardation was consistently exhibited in the hearing and speech subscale. The locomotor subscale experienced the most severe decline over the 24 months and was the second most retarded domain at 2 years of age. The remaining three subscales, personal-social, hand-eye and performance, demonstrated less severe declines over time as well as actual increases in developmental quotients at specified points in time. The overall performance of female infants at 18 months was significantly better than that of male infants (P = 0.05). The degree of retardation of Down's syndrome infants receiving early intervention services differs according to chronological age, developmental domain and sex.

Child Development↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Impact of gestational age on preterm motor development at 4 months chronological and adjusted ages.

A cohort of 62 low-risk preterm infants was identified and followed prospectively through the first 4 months of life to assess whether motor development is determined by biological maturity or the duration of the extrauterine experience. After identification, the cohort was subdivided into two groups according to gestational age at birth: less than 32 weeks gestation (n = 23) and greater than or equal to 32 weeks gestation (n = 39). Neuromotor assessments were performed on every infant at both 4 months chronological and 4 months adjusted ages. Analyses revealed that (1) the two groups of infants differed significantly at 4 months chronological age in terms of tone, primitive reflexes and volitional movement, but not in automatic reactions, and (2) the two groups of infants differed significantly at 4 months adjusted age in terms of primitive reflexes, but not in tone, automatic reactions or volitional movement. These findings suggest that the development of volitional movement and tone appear to evolve according to biological maturity alone. In contrast, primitive reflexes and automatic reactions in the preterm infant may be influenced by both biological maturation and environmental experience.

Child Development↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Construction and validation of the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS).

The Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS), an observational assessment scale, was constructed to measure gross motor maturation in infants from birth through independent walking. Based upon the literature, 58 items were generated and organized into four positions: prone, supine, sitting and standing. Each item describes three aspects of motor performance--weight-bearing, posture and antigravity movements. Content validation of the instrument was accomplished through a mail survey of Canadian pediatric physical therapists and consultation with an international panel of experts. Five hundred and six infants, age-stratified from birth through 18 months, participated in the reliability and validity testing of the AIMS. In addition, 20 infants who were experiencing abnormal motor development and 50 infants at risk for motor disorders were assessed and compared with the results of the full-term sample. Results to be presented include: 1) test-retest and inter-rater reliability estimates; 2) correlations between the AIMS and the Bayley and Peabody motor scores; and 3) scaling of the items along the age continuum for normal motor development.

Child Development↗