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Longitudinal study of sleep behavior and motor development in low-birth-weight preterm children from infancy to
Sonia Manacero1, Magda Lahorgue Nunes2
1Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Programa de Pós-Graduação em Pediatria e Saúde Infantil, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Insights
Sleep quality in low-birth-weight preterm infants was linked to motor development delays only at 6 months corrected age. These early motor skill issues did not impact later development.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal development
- Pediatric sleep science
- Developmental pediatrics
Background:
- Preterm infants with low birth weight are at higher risk for developmental delays.
- Sleep disturbances are common in this population and may impact neurodevelopment.
- Longitudinal data on the relationship between sleep and motor development in this cohort are limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between sleep characteristics and motor development in low-birth-weight preterm infants.
- To track motor development and sleep patterns from infancy through preschool years.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study of 41 low-birth-weight preterm infants (<37 weeks gestation, ≤1500g).
- Motor development assessed at 6 months, 12 months (corrected age), and 4-5 years (chronological age) using standardized scales.
- Sleep habits and disturbances evaluated using validated questionnaires at 6, 12 months, and 4-5 years.
Main Results:
- A significant proportion of infants exhibited suspected delayed or atypical motor development at 6 and 12 months.
- At 6 months corrected age, delayed motor development was associated with lateral sleep position, increased nighttime awakenings, and longer awake periods.
- These motor delays resolved by 4-5 years of age, with no significant developmental concerns noted.
Conclusions:
- Sleep quality was correlated with temporary motor development delays in low-birth-weight preterm infants at 6 months corrected age.
- These early sleep-related motor impairments did not predict long-term motor skill deficits.
- Sleep interventions may be beneficial for transient motor difficulties in early infancy.
Objective:
To verify the relationship between sleep characteristics and motor development in low-birth-weight preterm infants during infancy and preschool years.
Method:
Forty-one healthy preterm infants (<37 weeks' gestation) with low birth weight (≤1500 g) were assessed longitudinally at three different time points: at 6 months of corrected age, at 12 months of corrected age, and at 4-5 years of chronological age. At 6 and 12 months, motor development was assessed using the Denver Developmental Screening Test II and Alberta Infant Motor Scale, while sleep-related habits and disturbances were assessed using the Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire. At 4-5 years, motor development was reassessed using the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory and sleep was reassessed using the Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children. Correlations were performed using sleep quality as the predictor variable and motor development as the outcome variable.
Results:
Most infants had suspected delay/atypical development at 6 and 12 months, with no difference between the scales (p = 1.000). Suspected delay/atypical development were associated with lateral sleep position (p = 0.004), greater number of nighttime awakenings (p = 0.008), and longer awake periods (p = 0.014) only at 6 months. At 4-5 years, the suspected delay/atypical development observed at 6 and 12 months disappeared.
Conclusions:
Sleep quality correlated with delayed/atypical motor development in healthy preterm infants with low birth weight only at 6 months of corrected age, which did not appear to affect later development of motor skills.
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