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Motor performance changes in children testing positive for HIV over 2 years.
1Rehabilitation Medicine Department, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-1604, USA.
Summary
Children with HIV show impaired gross motor skills compared to typically developing peers, with fine motor skills less affected. This pattern persists over two years, indicating a need for monitoring motor function in pediatric HIV patients.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Infectious Diseases
- Developmental Pediatrics
Background:
- Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection can impact neurological development in children.
- Motor performance deficits may be an underrecognized complication of pediatric HIV.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the impact of HIV infection on the motor performance of children and preadolescents.
- To determine if motor performance changes over time with disease duration.
Main Methods:
- The Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOTMP) was administered to 34 HIV-positive children and preadolescents.
- Testing occurred at diagnosis and every 6 months for 2 years, with scores compared to typically developing children.
Main Results:
- Gross Motor and Battery Composite scores were consistently 1-2 standard deviations below normal reference means.
- Fine Motor Composite scores were closer to the normal reference population mean (within +.5 standard deviation).
Conclusions:
- HIV-positive children in this sample exhibited more significant gross motor than fine motor impairments.
- This pattern remained consistent over the 2-year study period.
- The BOTMP is a valuable tool for identifying and monitoring motor deficits in pediatric HIV patients.