Difficulties in the early identification of at-risk infants who are more likely to need developmental intervention has major pediatric and fiscal implications. The Movement Assessment of infants (MAI), a neurodevelopmental infant assessment, was developed to predict significant neuromotor handicaps in NICU graduates. Little is known about use of the MAI with lower risk infants.

Subjects were low income inner-city infants(n= 130,87% African-American, 49% female) who received both the 4 month MAI (m = 4.2;SD 0.4) and 24 month BSID (m = 24.7;SD 1.5). The non-NICU, socially and biologically at-risk infants born at ≥ 36 weeks, were tested in a standardized manner at each of the two ages by different assessors blind to infant history. The MAI was summarized as a Total Risk Score (TRS): 0-7 = low; 8-13 = moderate; ≥ 14 = high neuromotor risk. The BSID was reported as Mental (MDI) and Psychomotor(PDI) Developmental Indexes with < 84 considered concerning. As hypothesized, there was a significant Pearson Correlation (r = -.18; p =.04) between mean TRS (10.7; SD 6.0) and MDI (89.7; SD 15.5) scores. A Chi Square test indicated that category of risk on the MAI was significantly related to 24 month MDI <84 category (p =.02). MAI and PDI were not correlated. Logistic regressions indicated the MAI was more successful in predicting higher (89% negative predictive value) rather than lower MDIs (27% positive predictive value). Infants with TRSs of 14 + versus 0-7 were 3.1 times more likely to have a <84 MDI (p =.005). The MAI can be useful for following non-NICU at-risk infants, particularly in identifying those less likely to need intervention at 24 months.