Factors influencing on gross motor skills in infants: Implications for walking development

Background

This longitudinal study aimed to explore the impact of containers on gross motor percentile from 8 to 13 months corrected age during the walking development in moderate to late preterm infants.

Methods

Sixty preterm infants were enrolled in this study, and their monthly assessment the gross motor percentile using the Alberta Infant Motor Scale. Monthly parent interviews focused on collecting information about container characteristics.

Results

Infants exhibited fluctuating percentiles in gross motor development, averaging 37.81 (SD = 21.9; SEM = 1.4). The gross motor skills percentiles varied between 2 and 86 points across the six assessments. Factors significantly associated with gross motor development percentiles were a large container size (Coef. = 15.29; p < 0.001*) and a container with a soft floor surface (Coef. = 3.64; p = 0.042*).

Conclusion

Healthy preterm infants exhibited minimal instability in gross motor development and attained walking independently by 13 months. Placing preterm infants in a baby container during their first year should prioritize a wide space and a soft floor surface to enhance gross motor development.