Grant: Operating Grant

The Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) is a measure of infant gross motor abilities that is used worldwide. The AIMS motor growth curves, similar to height and weight growth curves, were developed by assessing 2200 infants in Alberta in 1990-1992. We are concerned that this data may not be an appropriate 'yardstick' for the motor abilities of present Canadian infants for two reasons. The first reason to evaluate the motor growth curves is that many infants now spend less time on their tummies because of 'back to sleep' campaigns to prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Some research suggests that babies today achieve some motor milestones later than babies did before the 'back to sleep' campaigns. For example, babies may roll from tummy to back at older ages now. If so, then the present motor growth curves would identify a baby as being delayed in motor skills when actually the age of achieving the skill has changed for all babies. This has important implications for accurately identifying infants who are truly delayed in their motor skills. The second reason is that the data does not represent the changing cultural face of Canada today. If cultural child rearing practices influence the development of motor skills, then it is important that all cultures in Canada are represented in the growth curves. We plan to assess 675 babies across Canada, making sure to include families from different cultural groups, and then compare their scores with the scores of babies of the same age who were assessed to make the motor curves. If differences emerge, then the present motor curves will be adjusted to reflect changes in the ages that babies now achieve motor skills. This study will ensure that the AIMS, a made in Canada measure, continues to be an important assessment of infant gross motor abilities.