Variability in the levels of postural control in 0–4-month-old infants

• Published in: Infant behavior & development Vol. 32; no. 4; pp. 376 - 380
• Main Authors: Rocha, Nelci Adriana Cicuto Ferreira, dos Santos Silva, Fernanda Pereira, de Toledo, Aline Martins, Tudella, Eloisa
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Inc 01.12.2009; Elsevier
• Subjects: Apgar Score; Biological and medical sciences; Biomechanical Phenomena; Body positions; Chailey Levels of Abilities Scale; Child development; Child Development - physiology; Developmental psychology; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Infants; Male; Newborn. Infant; Postural control; Posture - physiology; Prone Position; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Psychomotor Performance - physiology; Supine Position; Variability; Chailey Levels of Abilities Scale; Infants; Postural control; Body positions; Variability; Human; Ability; Motor development; Evaluation scale; Psychometrics; Infant; Cognition; Motor control; Posture; Motricity
• ISSN: 0163-6383; 1879-0453; 1934-8800
• DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2009.06.007

This prospective cross-sectional study aimed to characterize variability in the levels of postural control in supine and prone positions in typical 0–4-month-old infants by using the Chailey Levels of Abilities Scale. Forty infants were divided into five groups of eight infants, according to their age. In supine, the levels varied between 1 and 2 in 0-month group, and between 2 and 3 in 2-month group. In prone, the levels varied between 1 and 2 in both 0- and 1-month groups. There was no variability in 1-month group in supine or in 2-month group in prone. In 3-month and 4-month groups, no variability was found in any of the positions. Variability in the levels of postural control among infants at the same age may be interpreted as normal as long as infants are in the initial process of acquiring postural control, that is, within the age range of 0–2 months.