Critical Components of Motor Development in an Infant Exposed to Acute Metabolic Acidosis: Early Motor Repertoire and Selective Motor Control in a Case Report

Purpose:This case report aims to evaluate the early motor repertoire and selective motor control of an infant exposed to acute metabolic acidosis to determine their neurodevelopmental risk.Method:A 12-week-old male infant, previously hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit due to hypoactivity and metabolic acidosis on the third postnatal day, was referred for a physiotherapy assessment at three months of age. A neurodevelopmental evaluation was conducted using a four-minute video recording of the infant in an alert, unstimulated, supine position. The early motor repertoire was assessed via the Motor Optimality Score-Revised (MOS-R), and selective motor control was evaluated using the Baby Observational Selective Control Appraisal (BabyOSCAR).Findings:The infant achieved a MOS-R score of 13 and a total BabyOSCAR score of 19. These clinical scores collectively indicated that the infant was at a high risk for impaired neurodevelopment, suggesting that the history of acute metabolic acidosis may have disrupted early motor system organization and altered spontaneous movement quality.Conclusion:Combining early motor repertoire and selective motor control assessments in infants exposed to metabolic acidosis offers a valuable clinical approach for the early identification of neurodevelopmental risk, though larger longitudinal studies are needed to validate these findings.