How to Make a Video, International Adoption Clinic at the University of Minnesota

Video Assessment

Video footage of a child is primarily used to determine whether motor skills are appropriate for age and the caregiving environment. Other conditions that video footage might help us assess—depending on the quality of the video—are obvious medical/congenital problems, severe malnutrition and other risk factors like attachment concerns and language delays.

If you are going to visit the child and are able to capture some video footage (using either your digital or VHS camcorder), we offer the following suggestions:

• Practice using the camcorder before you go.
• Clearly label the VHS or digital file with the date the video was made.
• Make sure that the person who is interacting with the child does not stand between the child and the camcorder. We must have a clear visual line of the child’s actions.
• Videotape the child when she/he is most alert.
• Make sure the child feels safe. Capture the child interacting with familiar people and in a familiar environment.
• Guide the child through age-appropriate activities. For examples, click here. You may also want to request a Denver Prescreening Developmental Questionnaire (W. K. Frankenburg) from the International Adoption Medicine Program via email, iac@umn.edu.
• Tape the child for at least 10-15 minutes if you are making a VHS recording, or in multiple shorter clips if you are using digital media. While there is no file size limit for our online submission system or for incoming emails to our email server, many email servers will only allow the user to send 10MB of material.
• Try to make sure that most of the video shows the infant’s entire body. For an older child, keep as much of their body in the camera shot as possible, but also try to get several close-ups of the face.
• Undress the infant (diapers can be left on) for the recording. It is easier to see how the child moves if she/he is undressed. For a toddler or older child, have them in diapers or in shorts and a sleeveless top.
• For an infant, place her/him on the floor or on a safe, firm surface—start on either the stomach or back, and after a few minutes, if she/he doesn’t roll independently turn her or him over.
• Allow the infant to move on her/his own, so the actions observed are the child’s and not  the caretaker’s. Try to avoid pulling or jiggling the arms and legs to get her/him to move.
• Place the child in a sitting position and provide only as much support as she/he needs.
• Provide small objects such as rattles to encourage the infant to reach. Keep the camera positioned so her/his face and hands can be observed during reaching. Encourage the toddler or older child do fine motor activities such as picking up small objects. Encourage the use of both hands.
• Allow the child to move around the area, and encourage interactions with familiar adults. Tape her/his face whenever possible while she/he is reacting and responding to people.
• Record the sounds the child makes. For older children, have someone translate what she/he is saying. Have them play word games and sing songs.
• Videotape the child doing the self-care activities she/he routinely performs, like eating at mealtime or dressing independently.
• Support the child in standing to see whether she/he can support weight on her/his legs. If the child is walking independently, encourage her/him to do higher-level activities such as running or squatting down to pick something up.

Please note that there are limitations to using video footage as an assessment tool. Our review cannot guarantee a normal, healthy child. It is limited to a single point in time and is limited by its quality and content (e.g., the child may have more skills than what is shown on the video). Video footage cannot identify invisible diagnoses such as infectious diseases and in fact cannot completely rule out any medical or development problems the child may have. Video footage is only helpful in addition to other health information, and hopefully also at least one good still photograph of the child’s face. For more information about taking a good face shot, please click here.

Return to top