Influence of supine sleep positioning on early motor acquisition by Majnemer and Barr

Title: Influence of supine sleep positioning on early motor acquisition

Authors:
Annette Majnemer (first author)- PhD OT
Ronald G. Barr - MDCM FRCPC

Published:
Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology 2005, 47: 370-276

Summary: The authors conducted this study to determine if supine (back) sleep-positioned infants will have delayed motor skills at 4 and 6 months of age and whether or not these delays are associated with decreased exposure to prone (stomach) position. 71 caucasian babies that were 4 months old were recruited and 50 caucasian babies that were 6 months old were recruited. All babies were born healthy and at term.

Rsults:

Key Findings:
* Infants who were sleeping on their backs had statistically significant delayed motor development by the age of 6 months. Awake "Tummy Time" was significantly associated with the Peabody Developmental Motor Scale Gross Motor Quotient (r=.55), the Peabody Developmental Motor Scale Fine Motor Quotient (r=0.33), and the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (r=0.64).
* 22% of the study sample infants exhibited gross motor delays.
* Just 22% of 6-month-olds in the sample could sit without any arm support versus 50% which was expected in a normative sample.
* Only supine (back) sleeping babies were recruited for this study.
* Babies with torticollis were not included in this study.