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Assessment Tools: Alberta Infant Motor Skills (AIMS)

The assessment tool collection encompasses all assessments that are used in medical rehabilitation with a primary focus on physical therapy and occupational therapy.

Alberta Infant Motor Skills (AIMS)

CINAHL and PubMed searches on the reliability and validity for the Alberta Infant Motor Skills (AIMS). Click on the database link to run the search.

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Alberta Infant Motor Skills (AIMS)

Author: Piper, M.C., Darrah, J.

Summary: The AIMS assesses through observation infants who are delayed or atypical in their motor performance and evaluates motor development over time (Piper & Darrah, 1994).
Format: 58 item, performance-based, norm-referenced, observational tool.

Library Record:  Call #  WE 103 P665m 1993 ATOOLS  (Reserve Desk)

 

Population:   

Identification of Motor Delays:

  • All infants aged18 months or younger.

Evaluation of Motor Development Over Time:

  • All infants, 18 months or younger, except those with abnormal patterns of movement.
  1. Infants with normal motor development that are being monitored over time as part of their develomental history.
  2. Infants at risk for developmental delays.
  3. Infants who have been diagnosed with disorders or conditions causing delayed motor development (e.g. fetal alcohol syndrome, Down syndrome, failure to thrive, seizure disorders, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and developmental delay).
  4. Infants with no predisposing factors whose motor development is identified as being immature or suspect through a routine physical examination.

AIMS should not be used to evaluate older children whose motor abilities are still at the infant level (Piper & Darrah, 1994).

Completion time     20 to 30 minutes

Equipment:     

  • examining table for younger infants (0 to 4 months)
  • mat or carpeted area for older infants; the mat should be firm enough that it does not impede the infant's ability to move
  • toys appropriate for ages 0 to 18 months
  • stable wood bench or chair to observe some of the pull to stand, standing, and cruising items in the standing subscale.
  • AIMS score sheet and graph.

Setting: in the clinic or home; warm quiet room is desirable.

Infant state: whenever possible, the infant should be naked for the assessment; infant should be awake, active and content during assessment.

Parental involvement: Parent or caregiver should be present during assessment and should undress the infant; parent should comfort the infant if anxious.

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Use Policy

The Neil John Maclean Health Sciences Library will provide assessment tools and outcome measures for loan to faculty, students and staff of the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (WRHA) with a valid University of Manitoba (U of M) Library ID. If you qualify to borrow a tool you will need to fill out and present this form to the NJMHSL Circulation staff.

 

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