Early assessment of motor performance should allow not only the detection of disturbances but also create a starting point for the therapy. Unfortunately, a commonly recognised method that should combine these two aspects is still missing. The aim of the study is to analyse the relationship between the qualitative assessment of motor development at the age of 3 months and the acquisition of the crawl position in the 7th month of life. A total of 135 children were enrolled (66 females). The analysis was based on physiotherapeutic and neurological assessment and was performed in the 3rd, 7th and 9th months of life in children, who were classified according to whether they attained the crawl position or not in the 7th month. Children who did not attain the crawl position in the 7th month did not show distal elements of motor performance at the age of 3 months and thus achieved a lower sum in the qualitative assessment. Proper position of the pelvis at the age of 3 months proved to be very important for the achievement of the proper crawl position at the 7th month. Failure to attain the crawl position in the 7th month delays further motor development. The proximal-distal development must be achieved before a child is able to assume the crawl position. Supine position in the 3rd month seemed more strongly related to achieving the crawl position than assessment in the prone position.
Keywords: children; infant; motor performance; neurodevelopment; qualitative assessment.