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[Motor coordination in premature and/or low birth weight children]
Carla Matos1, Fernando Martins, Manuel Botelho
1Serviço de Medicina Física e Reabilitação, Centro Hospitalar de Coimbra - Entidade Pública Empresarial, Hospital Pediátrico, Coimbra, Portugal.
Insights
This study found no significant difference in motor coordination between premature and full-term children. Premature children did not show worse motor skills, nor did females exhibit better coordination than males.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Motor Control Research
- Perinatal Medicine
Context:
- Premature birth and very low birthweight are associated with potential developmental challenges.
- Assessing long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes, particularly motor coordination, is crucial for this population.
- This study focuses on children without overt neurological injury to isolate the effects of prematurity itself.
Purpose:
- To evaluate the impact of prematurity and very low birthweight on motor coordination in children.
- To investigate motor performance in a cohort of ex-premature children.
- To determine if factors like sex or physical activity influence motor coordination in this group.
Summary:
- Thirty-one ex-premature children (mean gestational age 30 weeks, mean birthweight ~1100g) were assessed for motor coordination using a whole-body coordination test.
- Results indicated that 71% of children exhibited reduced motor ability and 23% had impaired motor skills, with only 6% showing normal coordination.
- No statistically significant evidence was found linking prematurity/low birthweight to worse motor coordination, nor differences based on sex or physical activity levels.
Impact:
- Highlights the high prevalence of motor coordination deficits in ex-premature children, even without diagnosed neurological injury.
- Suggests that factors beyond prematurity and birthweight, such as sex and physical activity, may not be primary determinants of motor coordination in this cohort.
- Informs clinical follow-up and early intervention strategies for premature infants, emphasizing the need for comprehensive motor assessments.
Objective:
Our evaluation pretends to evaluate the influence of prematurity / very low birthweight in motor coordination, in a group of premature children without clinical evidence of neurological injury.
Methods:
We assessed 58 ex-premature children born between 1997 and 2000 in Central's Portugal Region, of which 31 participated in the study. The whole-body coordination test was performed to assess motor performance.
Results:
Our sample was composed of 31 children, 14 males and 17 females, divided into two age groups: from 7 to 8 years and 9 to 10 years. The mean gestational age was 30 and 30.1 weeks respectively for the age groups from 7 to 8 years and 9 to 10 years. The birthweight was, on average, 1059 and 1169 g respectively for the group of 7 to 8 years and 9 to 10 years. Based on the results of motor quotient we found 71% (22) of children with reduced motor ability, 23% (7) with impaired motor skills, and only 6% (2), with normal motor coordination.
Conclusions:
From our study there was no evidence that premature and low birthweight children, have worse motor coordination, that female children have better coordination than the male, and there was not evidence also that children practicing physical activity have better coordination.
