VARIATION AND ADAPTABILITY OF SITTING MOVEMENTS IN TYPICAL INFANTS BETWEEN SIX AND NINE MONTHS OF AGE – PRELIMINARY RESULTS

L. Machado¹, C. da Silva¹, S. Fritsch¹, E. Tudella¹, M. Duque Weber¹

¹Federal University of São Carlos, Physical Therapy, São Carlos, Brazil

Background: The primary (variation) and secondary (adaptability) variability determine the acquisition and improvement of motor skills to environmental and task conditions. Independent sitting is a quintessential motor skill. It promotes the infant's participation in different contexts, such as during play activities with upper extremities, the food introduction, and during transference between postures. Considering it, it is essential to describe the variation and adaptability of sitting in infants in relation to age, allowing the early identification of delays in motor development.

Purpose: Describe the variation and adaptability of the sitting posture of typical infants between six and nine months of age.

Methods: This is a longitudinal observational study. 11 typical full-term infants of both sexes (64% female) between six and nine months of age participated. The acquisition of independent sitting was evaluated by the Infant Motor Profile (IMP) through the items of variation (41), and adaptability (42) at sitting posture section. In item 41, variation in sitting movements, the infant scores 0 when unable to maintain an independent sitting; 1 when present insufficient variation; and 2 at sufficient variation. In item 42, adaptability of sitting movements, the infant scores 0 when unable to maintain an independent sitting; 1 when there isn't adaptive selection; and 2 at adaptive selection. Descriptive and exploratory data analysis was used.

Results: At six months of age, it was observed that 20% of the infants scored 0 on items 41 and 42. For the variation item, 60% of the infants scored 1, and 20% scored 2. For the adaptability item, 80% of infants scored 1. No infant scored 0 after seven months of age. For the variation item, 60% of infants scored 1 and 40% 2; as for adaptability, 80% of the infants scored 1 and 20% 2. At eight months of age, only 20% of the infants scored 1, while the vast majority of infants scored 2 (80%) in the variation item. For the adaptability item, half presented adapted movement. Finally, at nine months of age, 100% of the infants scored 2 on the variation and adaptability items.

Conclusions: Typical Brazilian full-term infants, for the most part, sitts independently at six months of age. However, the acquisition of this skill is static by 40% of infants, with minor variation, additionally, they are not adapted to the task. As the infant experience the posture, his motor repertoire increases, the percentage of sufficiently varied movements rises from 20% (six months), to 40% (seven months), 80% (eight months), and 100% (nine months). Consequently, the infant also becomes more adapted to the required task, observable by 0% (six months) progressing to 20% (seven months), 50% (eight months) and 100% (nine months).

Implications: From this study, we can observe that typical Brazilian infants experience the sitting posture intensively between six and nine months of age, showing good performance in the variation and adaptability of posture and movements at nine months of age. Thus, it is possible to early identify infants who may show deviation from the observed pattern and refer them to early intervention programms.

Funding acknowledgements: Coordination of Superior Level Staff Improvement (CAPES) and São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) (process number 2018 / 24930-0; 2020/11267-1; 2020/14904-2).

Keywords:
Sitting position
Movement
Infant Motor Profile

Topics:
Paediatrics

Did this work require ethics approval? Yes

Institution: Federal University of São Carlos

Committee: Human research ethics committee of the Federal University of São Carlos

Ethics number: CAAE: 37556620.6.1001.5504; opinion number: 4.384.985