One of the challenges that physiotherapists have in many countries is the objective, measurable and comparable assessment of what we observe in patients. Multiple evaluation scales have been developed and continue to be created. This facilitates not only objectifying our work, but also being able to communicate it better to others. Communication is key to interdisciplinary coordination.
The AIMS motor scale (Alberta Infant Motor Scale) was created by Darrah and Piper in the 1990s. It was validated for the Spanish population by Erika Morales in 2015, and is an essential instrument for all of us working in pediatric physiotherapy.
How does it work
It is a low level of intervention scale. This means that you do not have to interact much with the baby and it is even possible to pass it on a video of the baby. It works through the observation of specific items of neuromotor development. These are observed and scored in four subscales: prone, supine, sitting and standing.
Albuquerque et al. (2018) again confirmed its usefulness for premature children compared to the Bayley III / GM. But the AIMS motor skills scale accumulates dozens of studies. This is the most used scale in the study of the development of babies with plagiocephaly and congenital torticollis.
TMPI physiotherapists systematically use scales and objective tests in their evaluations, it could not be otherwise.
It would be great if all babies were evaluated in their development by physiotherapists or occupational therapists experts in pediatrics. That is one of TMPI’s dreams, that each of the children of a society be accompanied to their maximum development. Change the focus of the disease to health. An adult does not have to be “sick” or have neurological damage to have a physical therapy that improves the quality of life. To help prevent pathologies. Why not do the same with children?
Now there is no excuse!
Piper MC, Pinnell LE, Darrah J, Maguire T, Byrne PJ. Construction and validation of the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS). Can J Public Health. 1992 Jul-Aug; 83 Suppl 2: S46-50.
Albuquerque PL, Guerra MQF, Lima MC, Eickmann SH. Concurrent validity of the Alberta Infant Motor Scale to detect delayed gross motor development in preterm infants: A comparative study with the Bayley III. Dev Neurorehabil. 2018 Aug; 21 (6): 408-414.
Morales-Monforte E, Bagur-Calafat C, Suc-Lerin N, Fornaguera-Martí M, Cazorla-Sánchez E, Girabent-Farrés M. The Spanish version of the Alberta Infant Motor Scale: Validity and reliability analysis. Dev Neurorehabil. 2017 Feb; 20 (2): 76-82
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