Abstract
Early identification of infants at risk for developmental delay allows for initiation of early intervention programs, in which early childhood professionals attempt to maximize the capabilities of infants with motor and/or cognitive delays. The Harris Infant Neuromotor Test (HINT) is a screening tool designed to identify neuromotor and/or cognitive/behavioral concerns in healthy or high-risk infants between the ages of 3 and 12 months. This review article describes the HINT, and reviews its development during the past 12 years. Published findings regarding the HINT are presented, and include investigation into its reliability and validity, as well as the sensitivity and specificity of parental opinions of their infants' movement and motor development as compared to scores on the Bayley Scales of Infant Development (BSID). Normative data for the HINT are currently being collected on 400 healthy, full-term infants in 4 provinces in Canada, and this process is described as well. The HINT is a quick, noninvasive screening tool that shows promise for the early identification of infants with motor delays and potential for the detection of early cognitive and behavioral deficits. The inclusion of a set of parent questions about their infant's movement and development validates the importance of parental input in the screening and diagnostic process.