Detecting Early Motor Delays From Newborn to 6 Months

Course Description:

This course will cover the early detection of atypical motor development in infants from the newborn period through six months of age. Participants will learn a streamlined, four-position motor examination: supine, pull-to-sit, horizontal suspension, and prone. The exam can be seamlessly integrated into routine well-baby visits in under 30 seconds. The course will review typical and atypical motor patterns at the newborn, two-month, four-month, and six-month stages, with side-by-side video comparisons to support clinical recognition. Red flags, risk factors, and the neuromuscular basis of atypical tone will be discussed, along with practical guidance on communicating concerns to caregivers. The course will also provide an overview of the early intervention (EI) referral process, eligibility criteria and information on free resources from Pathways.org, including the Baby Milestones App and clinical reference tools to support ongoing developmental surveillance in practice.

Instructors: 

Nina Alfieri, MD, MS, FAAP 

Emily Muzzy, OTR/L 

Vamshi Rao, MD, MBBS

Disclosures:

CME Leadership and Staff: 

Benjamin Friedman, MD, Director of CME Has nothing to disclose.  

Rebecca Bagdy, Executive Director, Academy Has nothing to disclose. 

Course Director’s and Planning Committee Members’ Disclosure Information: 

Nina Alfieri, MD, MS, FAAP Has nothing to disclose. 

Jessica Hunter, MS Has nothing to disclose. 

Melissa Kolski, PT, DPT Has nothing to disclose. 

Leslie Marriott, MSOT, OTR/L, BCP Has nothing to disclose. 

Kathy Stevens, RN, PhD Has nothing to disclose. 

Speakers, Moderators and Panelists’ Disclosure Information: 

Emily Muzzy, OTR/L Has nothing to disclose. 

Vamshi Rao, MD, MBBS Has nothing to disclose. 

Enter code DEM 0246 when prompted to access the course

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Learner Outcomes:

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Identify red flags for atypical motor development in infants from birth through six months of age.  

• Distinguish typical from atypical motor patterns across newborn, two-, four-, and six-month stages.  

• Describe the early intervention referral process, including eligibility criteria and available resources for caregiver 

Successful Completion: 

Participants will watch the on-demand recording in its entirety and complete an assessment and feedback module in the Pathways Learning Portal.   

Accreditation Details:

Nursing: 

The Shirley Ryan AbilityLab is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. This CNE is being offered for 1.0 contact hours of continuing nursing education. 

Occupational Therapists: 

The Shirley Ryan AbilityLab is an AOTA Approved Provider of professional development. Course approval ID #16351. This distance learning independent webinar is offered at 

1.0 contact hours, 0.10 CEUs [introductory level, foundational knowledge/OT service delivery]. The assignment of AOTA CEUs does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products, or clinical procedures by AOTA 

Physical Therapists: 

This online course has been approved by the Illinois Physical Therapy Board for 1.0 Contact Hours. Approval #216-000069 

The Shirley Ryan AbilityLab is recognized by California and the New York State Education Department's State Board for Physical Therapy as an approved provider of physical therapy and physical therapist assistant continuing education for 1.0 Contact Hours on 5/22/2026. 

Many states accept continuing education contact hours recognized in other states, enabling professionals to use these hours to meet their licensing or certification requirements. Please consult your state regulations to see if this meets CEU requirements for your license. 

Physicians: 

The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago DBA Shirley Ryan AbilityLab is accredited by the Illinois State Medical Society (ISMS) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. 

The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago DBA Shirley Ryan AbilityLab designates this enduring activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. 

Enter code DEM 0246 when prompted to access the course

Enroll Now

Course Demo

System requirements

Desktop:

Operating system - Med-IQ supports the following operating systems:

• Microsoft Windows supported by Microsoft

• Mac OS supported by Apple

Browsers - Med-IQ supports the current version of each browser listed below, plus two prior versions:

• Microsoft Edge Download: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/edge

• Google Chrome Download: https://www.google.com/chrome

• Apple Safari Download: https://www.apple.com/safari/download/

• Mozilla Firefox Download: https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/

See our Pathways.org Online Learning Policies