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Observational Study
. 2013 Sep;31(3):350-8.
doi: 10.1590/S0103-05822013000300012.

Cross-cultural analysis of the motor development of Brazilian, Greek and Canadian infants assessed with the Alberta Infant Motor Scale

[Article in English, Portuguese]
Raquel Saccani  1 , Nadia Cristina Valentini
Affiliations
Observational Study

Cross-cultural analysis of the motor development of Brazilian, Greek and Canadian infants assessed with the Alberta Infant Motor Scale

[Article in English, Portuguese]
Raquel Saccani et al. Rev Paul Pediatr. 2013 Sep.

Abstract
in English, Spanish

Objective: To compare the motor development of infants from three population samples (Brazil, Canada and Greece), to investigate differences in the percentile curves of motor development in these samples, and to investigate the prevalence of motor delays in Brazilian children.

Methods: Observational, descriptive and cross-sectional study with 795 Brazilian infants from zero to 18 months of age, assessed by the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) at day care centers, nurseries, basic health units and at home. The Brazilian infants' motor scores were compared to the results of two population samples from Greece (424 infants) and Canada (2,400 infants). Descriptive statistics was used, with one-sample t-test and binomial tests, being significant p ≤ 0.05.

Results: 65.4% of Brazilian children showed typical motor development, although with lower mean scores. In the beginning of the second year of life, the differences in the motor development among Brazilian, Canadian and Greek infants were milder; at 15 months of age, the motor development became similar in the three groups. A non-linear motor development trend was observed.

Conclusions: The lowest motor percentiles of the Brazilian sample emphasized the need for national norms in order to correctly categorize the infant motor development. The different ways of motor development may be a consequence of cultural differences in infant care.

OBJETIVO:: Comparar el desarrollo motor de niños de tres muestras poblacionales (Brasil, Canadá y Grecia), verificar las diferencias en las curvas de percentiles del desarrollo motor para esas muestras e investigar la prevalencia de retardos motores en niños brasileños.

MÉTODOS:: Estudio observacional, descriptivo y transversal, del que participaron 795 niños brasileños con edad entre 0 y 18 meses, evaluados con la Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) en las escuelas infantiles, maternidades, unidades de salud pública y en domicilio. Los escores motores de niños brasileños fueron comparados a los resultados de investigaciones con los grupos poblacionales de Grecia (424 niños) y de Canadá (2.400 niños). Se utilizó la estadística descriptiva, con las pruebas one-sample t-test y binominal, siendo significante p≤0,05.

RESULTADOS:: Se observó que el 65,4% de los niños brasileños presentaron desempeño motor normal, aunque con escores medianos más bajos que los otros grupos. En el inicio del segundo año de vida, las diferencias de desempeño entre los niños brasileños, canadienses y griegos se redujeron y, a los 15 meses, el desempeño motor se hizo semejante. Se verificó tendencia de adquisiciones motoras no lineales.

CONCLUSIONES:: Los percentiles más bajos de la muestra brasileña reforzaron la necesidad de usarse normas nacionales para categorizar adecuadamente el desempeño motor. Los distintos recorridos del desarrollo motor son posiblemente decurrentes de diferencias culturales en el cuidado del niño.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflito de interesse: nada a declarar

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Curves of motor development of Brazilian, Greek and Canadian children: Mean age, using the gross scores of Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS)
Figure 2
Figure 2. Curves of motor development of Brazilian, Greek, and Canadian children, considering the percentile analyses (5th, 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th and 90th). Means by age, using the gross scores of the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS)
Figura 1
Figura 1. Curvas de desenvolvimento motor das crianças brasileiras, gregas e canadenses: médias por idade, utilizando-se os escores brutos da Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS)
Figura 2
Figura 2. Curvas do desenvolvimento motor das crianças brasileiras, gregas e canadenses, considerando-se os percentis de análise (5, 10, 25, 50, 75 e 90). Médias por idade, utilizando-se os escores brutos da Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS)
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