General movements assessment, part II: the use of general movement assessment as a predictive tool of cerebral palsy – a scoping review

Abstract

The diagnosis of cerebral palsy is usually made between the 12 and 24 months of age which often delays the implementation of early therapeutic intervention. General movements assessment is one of the tools for the early diagnosis of cerebral palsy. The aim of this study was to present the current knowledge on the use of the general movements assessment in predicting cerebral palsy. The literature review was made in accordance with the recommendations of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Statement. The PubMed medical database was searched, 24 publications were identified and included in the detailed analysis. The highest sensitivity was demonstrated for the general movements assessment performed during the fidgety period and in preterm infants. General movements assessment and/or Hammersmith Infant Neurological Examination (HINE) are recommended as a routine screening of newborns with documented risk factors for cerebral for the earliest possible diagnosis. Raising the awareness of medical personnel should be of key importance for the implementation of the recommended procedure.