Healthy Start Sprinter | Detecting Risks Early, Changing Futures

HS Sprint project: ‘Detecting Risks Early, Changing Futures’

Implementing General Movements Assessment to identify neurodevelopmental disorders in preterm infants and improve long-term developmental outcomes

	Project lead: Koen Dekkers (Erasmus MC)

	Partners: UMCG, Sophia Children’s Hospital, Beatrix Children’s Hospital, Rijndam Rehabilitation Center

	Team: Alessandro Bozzon (TU Delft), Elise Roze (Erasmus MC), Arie Bos (UMCG), Sinno Simons (Erasmus MC), Myrna Heijdenrijk (Rijndam Rehabilitation Center)

	Duration: January 2026 – December 2026

Summary

Preterm birth increases the risk of neurodevelopmental impairments such as cerebral palsy. Early detection is essential to enable early interventions, which greatly improves outcomes. The General Movements Assessment (GMA) is a proven screening tool but not standard at Sophia Children’s Hospital. This project will implement GMA and explore AI-assisted scoring to enhance efficiency and consistency. Combining in-hospital GMA with home video follow-up at 3 months post-term enables timely detection and support for high-risk infants, improving development and reducing healthcare burden.

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