Effects of 4 weeks of play in standing and walking on gross motor ability and segmental trunk control in preterm infants using a playpen: A randomized control trial.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of computer-based early intervention with a playpen to enhance standing and walking, and to examine the relationship between changes in gross motor percentile and segmental trunk control in preterm infants nine months corrected age.

METHODS

Forty infants born before 37 weeks of gestation were randomly assigned to either the experimental or control group. The Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) and the Segmental Assessment of Trunk Control (SATCo) were administered before and after the intervention. The experimental group, consisting of twenty preterm infants, participated in a computer-based early intervention involving 45 min of play in standing and walking positions, five times a week for 4 weeks.

RESULTS

There were significant between-group differences in the gross motor percentiles of the AIMS (p-value <0.001). In addition, there was a significant difference in all conditions of the SATCo scores (p-value <0.05) compared with baseline score. The change in percentiles of gross motor development was significantly correlated (r = 0.643; p-value <0.001) with reactive SATCo during walking in infants in the experimental group.

CONCLUSION

Early intervention with a playpen in a standing and walking position can be applied to improve changes in gross motor percentiles and segmental trunk control in preterm infants.