Comparison of visual and goniometric assessment and analysis of inter observer difference in assessing Amiel Tison angles in high risk infants

Infants who are born with biologic or environmental risk factors that might contribute to later developmental delay or deficits are termed as high risk infants. High risk factors include preterm birth with GA ≤ 32 weeks, Low birth weight ≤ 1500gms, Neonatal Convulsions, Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Broncho pulmonary Dysfunction, Apnoea of Prematurity, Haemorrhage, Hypoglycemia, Neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia, Neonatal infections. Most common causes of death for infants aged 0-4 weeks were low birth weight, asphyxia and sepsis, while for infants aged 1-11 months, it was pneumonia. Advances in perinatal intensive care have been associated with improved survival of high-risk neonates but have not resulted in decreased morbidity

High risk infants are at risk of developing neurological problems either because of adverse environmental factors, lack of developmental supportive care, poor nutrition, or various health factors. Developmental delay is diagnosed when a child does not reach a developmental milestone All infants at high risk of developmental delay and require periodic developmental assessment at first year of life to prevent and identify the neuromotor deficit at an early age. Amieltison method is commonly used technique for assessing neurological status of infants and Muscle tone is an important component of Neuromotor assessment which would be deviated even with subtle neural impairment which need to be assessed and intervened.

Clinically visual method is widely being followed in assessing Amiel tison angles in the first year of life in high risk infants but visual assessment may not be reliable and visual perception can be different with two observers which could change the interpretation of muscle tone. This study intends to compare the Visual and goniometric assessment and inter observer difference in the assessment of Amieltison angles.