Hand Assessment for Infants (HAI) training - Melbourne

A new assessment of hand function, the Hand Assessment for Infants (HAI), has recently been developed for infants at risk of developing cerebral palsy (CP) in the age range of 3-12 months. The development of this test has been a collaboration between research groups at IRCCS Fondazione Stella Marisin Pisa, Italy and the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden. The HAI intends to measure the degree and quality of goal directed actions performed with each hand separately as well as with both hands together. The outcome of the test renders a separate score for each hand, illustrating possible asymmetric hand use as well a criterion referenced measure of general upper limb ability. Age norm references will be available. As a first step, the HAI has been validated for infants with clinical signs of unilateral cerebral palsy. The HAI is scored on 17 items (12 unimanual and 5 bimanual) each scored on a 3-point rating scale.

This course teaches the reliable use of the HAI in two steps:

(1) A two day workshop where participants will learn about the constructs underlying the HAI, test procedures, test objects used, and scoring of infants from video recordings. A HAI manual with detailed scoring criteria and a computer based scoring form will be provided.

(2) Following the course, participants will be able to create their own test kit according to instructions given during the course. Feedback on the selected toys will be provided during the certification procedure. Additionally participants will be required to achieve satisfactory scoring of test cases; two which are provided by videos, and two from self-produced HAI play sessions.

Course objectives

On completion of the course participants will be able to:

• Demonstrate how to select appropriate toys for a HAI play session
• Demonstrate the set-up and video-recording of the session and how toys are used to provoke active hand use in infants
• Produce reliable scores according to the criteria in the manual
• Understand the constructs upon which the HAI is based and describe early psychometric evidence
• Interpret and communicate outcomes from the testing procedures

Course Tutors:

• Dr Susan Greaves is a Senior Occupational Therapist at The Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne. She has had many years of experience working in pediatrics, predominantly children with cerebral palsy. Her PhD studies involved the development of the Mini-Assisting Hand Assessment.
• Danni Centorame is an Occupational Therapist at The Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne. She works in the neurodevelopmental team and has experience using the HAI in research and clinical practice.

Who should attend: 

Paediatric occupational therapists and physiotherapists who provide assessment and intervention to babies aged 3 – 12 months of age who are at risk of cerebral palsy.

Find Out More about HAI Training (PDF, 60.2 KB)

Training Locations, Registration & Payment:

WHEN:  Monday 28 - Tuesday 29 October 2019

WHERE:  The Larwill Studio, 48 Flemington Road, Parkville, Melbourne.

COST:  AUD $800, inclusive of all training materials, and post-workshop feedback.

REGISTRATION:  Please contact Danni Centorame for more information; Registration form is available HERE.