Hand preference, prematurity and developmental outcome at school age.

Area of Science:

• Developmental Pediatrics
• Neuroscience
• Child Psychology

Background:

• Premature birth is a significant risk factor for developmental and neurological complications.
• Hand preference development is a complex process influenced by various factors.
• Understanding the link between early development and later outcomes is crucial for intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate hand preference in premature versus full-term children.
• To explore associations between non-right-handedness and neurodevelopmental outcomes in premature children.
• To assess fine motor skills in relation to handedness in this cohort.

Main Methods:

• Hand preference was assessed in 88 premature and 80 matched full-term children aged 7-8 years.
• Children underwent evaluations for neurological status, IQ, ADHD, and learning disabilities.
• Non-right-handedness (left- or mixed-handedness) was the primary exposure variable.

Main Results:

• While not statistically significant, 12% more premature children were left- or mixed-handed compared to full-term controls.
• A significant association was found between non-right-handedness and cognitive/behavioral deficits in premature children.
• Left-handed children demonstrated relative clumsiness with their non-preferred hand.

Conclusions:

• Premature children exhibit a higher prevalence of non-right-handedness.
• Non-right-handedness in premature children is linked to poorer cognitive and behavioral outcomes.
• These findings highlight the importance of monitoring neurodevelopmental trajectories in premature infants, particularly regarding handedness.