The following is a summary of “Implementation of remote general movement assessment using the in-motion instructions in a high-risk Norwegian cohort,” published in the July 2024 issue of Pediatrics by Adde et al.

General Movement Assessment (GMA) is a valuable tool for early detection of cerebral palsy, but it traditionally requires trained clinical experts. The study aimed to implement a home and hospital filming method for remote GMA in a high-risk infant cohort in Norway and to evaluate parents’ experiences filming their infants at home.

This study used a prospective cohort design with participants referred for neurodevelopmental follow-up across three Central Norway Regional Health Authority sites. Parents were asked to film their infants at home twice: once between 12⁺¹ and 14⁺⁶ weeks after term and again between 15⁺¹ and 17⁺⁶ weeks after term, focusing on the fidgety movements. An additional film was collected at the hospital between 12⁺¹ and 17⁺⁶ weeks after term. All filming followed the standards outlined in the In-Motion App. Videos were then sent to a remote GMA team for assessment, classified as “GMA scorable” or “GMA not scorable” based on Prechtl’s GMA standards. Parents also completed an online survey using a 5-point Likert scale to share their experiences and concerns about filming at home.

A total of 102 infants from 95 families participated. About 92 families (96.8%) submitted 177 home-based videos, while 84 (92%) provided 95 hospital-based videos. All 177 home videos were classified as “GMA scorable,” whereas three of the 95 hospital videos (3.1%) were deemed “GMA not scorable.” Eight families have yet to respond to the survey; two did not receive it due to a technical error. Of the respondents, 91.7% agreed or strongly agreed that filming at home was easy, and only 5.9% felt more worried about their child’s development after home filming. Nearly 80% believed GMA videos could be effectively taken at home instead of in a hospital.

This study supports the clinical implementation of home filming for remote GMA, facilitating the early detection of cerebral palsy in high-risk infants. Remote GMA has the potential to enable early intervention, improving outcomes for children with CP in accordance with international recommendations. This method is feasible and well-received by parents, making it a valuable addition to high-risk follow-up programs.

Source: bmcpediatr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12887-024-04927-4