a method for diagnosing the motor activity of an infant. It is carried out by the expert visually, while the movement of the child as a whole is assessed: movements of the body, limbs, head. There are three types of generalized movements:1) The first type (“riffing” writhing, in meaning close to the word “writhing”) is formed from the 8th week of pregnancy and exists in a full-term baby up to 1.5-2 months of age, in a premature baby – adjusted for his gestational age. This is a special type of movement that involves the entire torso, limbs and head, is a somewhat clumsy movement.2) The second type of movements in a full-term baby appears after the age of one and a half months – “fidgety” (in meaning close to the word “fuss”, “fidgeting”). These movements are smaller, with a rotational component.
3) The third type of movements is formed after 5 months in a full-term baby. These are manipulative antigravitational movements, for example, various reaches. Normal generalized movements are large movements involving the whole body, their main feature is variability with sequential involvement of the limbs, neck and trunk. They are variable in intensity, speed and strength, gradually beginning and ending. For the most part, extension and flexion of the limbs are consistent and complex, with the imposition of rotations and gentle changes in the direction of movement.
A specially developed scale is used for evaluation. The prognostic value of this method is estimated at 96%, predicting the development of cerebral palsy, motor developmental delay, and ASD. The founder of the method is H.F.R. Prechtl, studied in Russia by Professor A.B. Palchik.