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. 2025 Apr 29;15(1):15035.
doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-98118-5.

The qualitative motor assessment at three months allows a better prognosis than the traction test

Ewa Gajewska  1 , Joanna Surowińska  2 , Anna Chałupka  3 , Jerzy Moczko  4 , Michał Michalak  4 , Magdalena Sobieska  3
Affiliations

The qualitative motor assessment at three months allows a better prognosis than the traction test

Ewa Gajewska et al. Sci Rep. .

Abstract

The study was conducted prospectively on 107 children (74 boys). Eighty-three children were born at term (39 ± 1), 24 were born prematurely (33 ± 4). The study included the qualitative assessment at three months of age, eye contact and traction response assessment, and the quantitative assessment at 3, 9, and 16 months of age. The timely achievement of crawling and sitting down depended on the same qualitative characteristics at three months of age: hands and lower limbs and on the segmentally extended spine and shoulder blades. Social walking was influenced by the qualitative assessment of the position of the lower limbs at three months of age. The eye contact substantially impacted walking; the correct traction test moderately impacted crawling and sitting down. The qualitative assessment at three months is highly predictive for crawling and sitting down at nine months and social walking at 16 months. The correct traction test appears to predict crawling and sitting down, while eye contact is essential for social walking.

Keywords: Eye contact; Milestone; Qualitative assessment; Traction test.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
The time flow of the study
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
The influence of the quality of the movement in the third month of life on achieving the chosen milestones.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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