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Head Lag in Infancy: What Is It Telling Us?
Roberta G Pineda1, Lauren C Reynolds2, Kristin Seefeldt3
1Roberta G. Pineda, PhD, OTR/L, is Assistant Professor, Program in Occupational Therapy and Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO; pineda_r@kids.wustl.edu.
Summary
Head lag in premature infants decreased with age but persisted in over half at term-equivalent age. While linked to medical issues and early behavior, head lag alone doesn't predict long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal Medicine
- Developmental Neuroscience
- Pediatric Neurology
Background:
- Head lag, a measure of head control, is a developmental milestone.
- Persistent head lag in preterm infants may indicate underlying neurological or medical issues.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine head lag changes in infants born preterm across postmenstrual age.
- To identify associations between head lag and perinatal exposures.
- To determine the relationship between head lag and neurodevelopmental outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Sixty-four infants born at or before 30 weeks gestation were assessed for head lag.
- Assessments occurred before discharge and at term-equivalent age.
- Neurobehavior and neurodevelopment were evaluated at term age and 2 years, respectively.
Main Results:
- Head lag diminished with increasing postmenstrual age, yet 58% of infants exhibited head lag at term-equivalent age.
- Head lag correlated with neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) length of stay, inotrope use, sepsis, endotracheal intubation duration, and cerebral injury.
- Early neurobehavior showed associations with head lag, but no significant links to 2-year neurodevelopmental outcomes were found.
Conclusions:
- Head lag in preterm infants is associated with significant medical factors and early neurobehavioral patterns.
- Head lag alone may not be a reliable isolated predictor of long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes in this population.
