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Motor Coordination Difficulties in Extremely Low Birth Weight Survivors Across Four Decades
Kristie L Poole1, Louis A Schmidt, Cheryl Missiuna
1Departments of *Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics; †Psychology, Neuroscience, and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada; ‡Institute for Applied Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada; Departments of §Pediatrics; ‖Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
Insights
Extremely low birth weight (ELBW) survivors show persistent motor coordination difficulties from childhood to adulthood compared to normal birth weight (NBW) individuals. These motor challenges remain stable into their mid-30s, impacting adult life.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Neuroscience
- Public Health
Background:
- Extremely low birth weight (ELBW) survivors often face developmental challenges.
- Longitudinal data on motor coordination in ELBW individuals into adulthood is limited.
- Understanding long-term motor outcomes is crucial for lifelong health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare motor coordination difficulties in extremely low birth weight (ELBW) survivors versus normal birth weight (NBW) controls.
- To assess the stability of motor coordination from childhood through age 36.
- To examine motor coordination in ELBW and NBW adults from their 20s to 30s.
Main Methods:
- Prospective, population-based birth cohort study in Ontario, Canada.
- Inclusion of ELBW survivors and matched NBW controls born between 1977-1982.
- Motor coordination assessed at ages 8, 22-26, and 29-36.
Main Results:
- ELBW survivors exhibited significantly higher motor coordination difficulties at ages 8, 22-26, and 29-36, even after adjusting for neurosensory impairment.
- Self-reported motor coordination was stable from the mid-20s to mid-30s in both ELBW and NBW groups.
- Persistent motor coordination deficits were observed in ELBW survivors across developmental stages.
Conclusions:
- Extremely low birth weight (ELBW) survivors consistently demonstrate elevated motor coordination difficulties compared to normal birth weight (NBW) controls.
- Motor coordination stability from the 20s to 30s suggests these deficits are enduring.
- Motor coordination problems in ELBW survivors have significant implications for adult functional outcomes.
Objective:
To compare levels of motor coordination difficulties in a cohort of extremely low birth weight (ELBW; <1000 g) survivors and normal birth weight (NBW) controls from childhood until age 36. The stability of motor coordination in ELBW and NBW adults from their 20s to their 30s was also assessed.
Methods:
This study uses a prospectively followed population-based birth cohort of ELBW survivors born between 1977 and 1982 in Ontario, Canada, to compare motor coordination at age 8, age 22 to 26, and age 29 to 36 in ELBW survivors relative to a matched group of NBW controls across a number of different measures.
Results:
After adjusting for neurosensory impairment, ELBW survivors had significantly higher levels of motor coordination difficulties than their NBW counterparts at age 8, 22 to 26, and 29 to 36. Self-reported motor coordination remained relatively stable from age 22 to 26 to age 29 to 36 in both groups.
Conclusions:
ELBW survivors display higher levels of motor coordination difficulties than NBW controls in childhood through their mid 30s. Motor coordination seems to be stable from age 22 to 36 in both groups, suggesting that the presence of motor problems in ELBW survivors can have important implications for functional outcomes in adulthood.
