Biomedical subjects

Megan Hodge

Publications and source records attributed to Megan Hodge.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2003

Stability of serial assessments of motor and communication abilities in typically developing infants--implications for screening.

BACKGROUND: Neuromaturational theory and dynamic systems theory make different assumptions about the rate of development of motor and communication skills. AIMS: The stability of fine motor, gross motor, and communication scores of infants was evaluated to test these assumptions. STUDY DESIGN: This longitudinal descriptive study evaluated infants in their homes at 9, 11, 13, 16, and 21 months of age. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred and two Canadian children of English-speaking parents classified as typically developing at 23 months of age using the Diagnostic Inventory for Screening Children Preschool Screen were included. OUTCOME MEASURES: The Peabody Developmental Motor Scales and the Communication Symbolic Behavior Scales-Developmental Profile were used to assess development at each time. Scores were stable if the 95% confidence intervals around the scores overlapped across all assessments. Correlations evaluated the relationship of scores in a domain over time (normative stability) as well as the relationship of scores between domains (ipsative stability). RESULTS: There was large variability in scores within an infant, among infants and across developmental domains. Typical development is nonlinear rather than occurring at a constant rate. Fine motor, gross motor, and communication skills appear to develop independently. CONCLUSIONS: These results have implications both for developmental screening policies and for early intervention programs. Screening should include multiple domains and multiple time points before referrals are made to early intervention programs.

Age Factors↗

PubMed2002

Establishing a transdisciplinary research team in academia.

The establishment of a transdisciplinary research team, the Applied Developmental Neuroscience group, is described. The group, which initially included a physical therapist, occupational therapist, speech-language pathologist, and developmental pediatrician, is focused on linking theory and practice for intervention with children with disabilities. The group encountered challenges related to personal attributes such as trust, communication, time, and commitment; the task of finding a common theoretical perspective; and the autonomous academic environment. The strategies used to address these challenges and the benefits of a transdisciplinary model, such as cross-fertilization of theoretical perspectives and more powerful application and testing of theoretical frameworks in a research context, are described.

Allied Health Occupations↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Classroom-based assessment: validation for the school AMPS.

The role of the occupational therapist working in the school system is to facilitate a student's task performance or ability to do purposeful and meaningful activities so that the student benefits from the educational experience. To fulfill this role, occupational therapists need assessments that address functional performance issues in the classroom and provide information for effective programming and consultation. The School Version of the Assessment of Motor and Process Skills (School AMPS) is an observational evaluation of functional skills in the classroom. Common classroom activities are observed to assess a child's school motor and school process skills. This study examined the validity of the School AMPS by comparing it to the Peabody Developmental Motor Scale-Fine Motor (PDMS-FM), a common assessment used in local area school districts in Edmonton, Alberta. Results show a higher correlation of the PDMS-FM with the motor scale of the School AMPS than with the process scale of the School AMPS, which was expected. The School AMPS appears to be a promising instrument for measuring the constructs of school motor and school process skills within a naturalistic setting.

Child↗