Gross motor performance of infants with an at-home wearable measurement and the Alberta Infant Motor Scale: A concurrent validity study.
Manu Airaksinen, Taru Palsa, Arto Hautala and 3 others
PMID 41699872WHAT IT FOUND
An at-home wearable suit tracked infant motor development with results closely matching a physiotherapist's Alberta Infant Motor Scale scores.
It accurately identified infants below clinical cut-offs, offering a reliable, objective alternative to clinic-based observation for monitoring gross motor progress.
Key findings
01The wearable-derived holistic motor score (BIMS) showed a very high correlation with the total AIMS score assessed by a physiotherapist.
02The wearable method identified infants falling below the 5% and 10% AIMS centile cut-offs with more than 90% accuracy.
03The wearable measure continued to show developmental gains even after the AIMS score reached its maximum, suggesting it captures a wider functional range.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study used a small, heterogeneous convenience sample of 42 infants. AIMS assessments were a mix of live and video observations, though the authors found no difference in correlation between these methods. The wearable suit requires specific multi-sensor placement; results do not apply to standard single-sensor actigraphy devices.
Declared interests
The study was funded by the Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation, Sigrid Juséliuksen Säätiö, Helsingin ja Uudenmaan Sairaanhoitopiiri, and The Foundation for Pediatric Research. No commercial conflicts of interest were declared in the provided text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume this replaces clinical diagnosis. The study validates the wearable's ability to mimic AIMS scoring for monitoring gross motor trends, not for diagnosing specific conditions or guiding treatment plans without expert interpretation.
Summarised by AI from the full paper, without a clinician reviewing it. Check it against the source before it changes what you do. Read it on PubMed →