Influence of specific training on spatio-temporal parameters at the onset of goal-directed reaching in infants: a controlled trial

Abstract

Background There is evidence that long-term experience can promote functional changes in infants. However, much remains unknown about how a short-term experience affects performance of a task. Objective This study aims to investigate the influence of a single training session at the onset of goal-directed reaching on the spatio-temporal parameters of reaching and whether there are differences in the effects of training across different reaching positions. Method Thirty-three infants were divided into three groups: 1) a control group; 2) a group that was reach trained in a reclined position; and 3) a group trained in the supine position. The infants were submitted to two assessments (pre- and post-training) in two testing positions (supine and reclined at 45°). Results The short-duration training sessions were effective in promoting shorter reaches in the specific position in which the training was conducted. Training in the reclined position was associated with shorter and faster reaches upon assessment in the reclined position. Conclusions A few minutes of reach training are effective in facilitating reaching behavior in infants at the onset of reaching. The improvements in reaching were specific to the position in which the infants were trained.

Influence of Short-Term Training on the Distal Adjustments of Reaching in Preterm Infants

“…Reaching was defined as the act of locating an object in space, directing visual attention toward the object and directing one or both hands to it and touching it. 29,30 Once confirmed the onset of reaching, the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) was administered by a single pediatric physical therapist and was use to ensure that all infants were similar in their motor development. 31 After the AIMS assessment, the assessment was scheduled at the laboratory, which occurred no later than five days after the visit of reach onset identification (Table 1).…”

“…29 An unfamiliar and attractive toy was presented at the infant's midline (xiphoid process-) within reaching distance for 2 minutes. 29,30 The toy was carefully taken away and presented again after each successful reach and a 5-s interval was allowed between reaches. If the infant did not touch the toy, this was also taken away from the visual field of the infant and presented again to not allow habituation.…”

“…This procedure sought to encourage the infant to remain face to face with the examiner, with the neck in semiflexion, facilitating alignment between the head and torso, and hands in the midline within the visual field (Figure 1 A-C). This training protocol described was based on studies by Cunha et al 29,30 , Heathcock et al 10 and Lobo et al 34 . The single session under a serial practice condition consisted of 3 activities (A, B, C) carried out for a period of 5 minutes.…”

“…15 The infants should be directing their visual attention to the toy from the beginning to the object contact. 30 The beginning of a reach was defined as the first frame when the infant's arm began an movement toward the object and the end of a reach as the first frame when the infant's hand touched the object. 35 The coding of reaches was performed blindly by three experienced observers.…”

“…26,27,28 In full-term infants, the authors demonstrated that a short training session in reaching, at the onset of the skill, was sufficient to increase the number of hand contacts with objects, with shorter and unimanual reaches, with oblique and semi-open hand. 29,30 Soares et al 18 observed that at the onset of the skill, a short-term training under a serial practice condition on reaching in late preterm infants was effective in promoting an increase in the number of contacts of hands with objects and in bimanual reaches, immediately after the practice session, however, there was no retention of the effects obtained after 24 hours. 18 Thus, short-term training in reaching can be considered to be an important tool for early intervention in preterm infants.…”