Upper limb - Baby Early Action-observation Training: Randomised trial of the effect of infant action observation training on the early development of hand reaching and grasping in healthy infants and in infants with early brain injury.

This project aims to explore, in a randomised trial, whether a novel training program based on the observation of hand action can influence the early development of hand reaching and grasping in healthy infants and infants with asymmetric brain injury. This study will compare Action Observation Training with standard Observation Training in a population of healthy term infants, as well as in a population of infants with asymmetric brain injury. It is predicted that: (1) Action Observation Training will improve the symmetry of bimanual hand function as measured on the Infant Hand Assesment at 18 weeks, compared to standard Observation Training; and (2) Action Observation Training will have a greater impact on the quantity and quality of reaching and grasping of the impaired hand as measured on the Reach and Grasp Assessment at 18 weeks, compared to standard Observation Training.