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Do visual impairments affect risk of motor problems in preterm and term low birth weight adolescents?
Kari Anne I Evensen1, Susanne Lindqvist, Marit S Indredavik
1Department of Laboratory Medicine, Children's and Women's Health, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway. karianne.i.evensen@ntnu.no
Insights
Visual impairments significantly increase motor problems in very low birth weight (VLBW) adolescents. However, motor issues in small for gestational age (SGA) adolescents are not linked to visual deficits.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Developmental Neuroscience
- Ophthalmology
Background:
- Motor and visual problems are more common in low birth weight populations.
- The link between these issues in low birth weight individuals is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between visual impairments and motor problems in adolescents born with very low birth weight (VLBW).
Main Methods:
- Adolescents (VLBW, small for gestational age (SGA), and controls) were assessed at age 14 for motor skills and visual functions.
- Visual functions included acuity, contrast sensitivity, ocular alignment, and visual perception.
- An abnormality score summed visual impairments; odds ratios estimated motor problem risk.
Main Results:
- Very low birth weight (VLBW) adolescents had significantly higher odds of motor problems (OR=10.4) compared to controls.
- Motor problems in VLBW adolescents were linked to visual acuity and overall visual impairment scores (adjusted OR=6.8).
- Small for gestational age (SGA) adolescents showed increased motor problem odds (OR=5.1) but were not significantly affected by visual impairments.
Conclusions:
- Visual impairments are a contributing factor to motor problems in very low birth weight (VLBW) adolescents.
- Motor problems in small for gestational age (SGA) adolescents appear independent of visual impairments.
Background:
Increased prevalence of motor and visual problems has been reported in low birth weight populations, but the association between them is less studied.
Aim:
To examine how visual impairments may be associated with the increased risk of motor problems in low birth weight adolescents.
Methods:
Fifty-one very low birth weight adolescents (VLBW), 56 term small for gestational age (SGA) and 75 term control adolescents, without cerebral palsy, were examined at the age of 14. Motor skills were examined by the Movement Assessment Battery for Children. Visual functions included visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, nystagmus, strabismus, stereoacuity, accommodation, convergence and visual perception (Visual-Motor Integration test). An abnormality score was calculated as the sum of visual impairments. We used odds ratio as an estimate of the relative risk of having motor problems.
Results:
The odds of having motor problems were 10.4 (95% CI: 2.2-49.4) in the VLBW group and 5.1 (95% CI: 1.0-25.8) in the SGA group compared with the control group. The odds of having motor problems in the VLBW group were influenced by all visual variables, and most by visual acuity, when we adjusted for these separately. The greatest reduction in OR was found when adjusting for the abnormality score (adjusted OR: 6.8; 95% CI: 1.3-34.5). In the SGA group the odds of having motor problems were relatively unaffected by the visual variables and the abnormality score.
Conclusions:
Visual impairments influence motor problems in VLBW adolescents, whereas motor problems in SGA adolescents seem to be unaffected by visual impairments.
