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Low Motor Dexterity and Significant Behaviors Following Hospitalized Isolation in Children
Kaitlin Fraser1, Miriam Kuhn2, Rebecca Swanson3
1Department of Biomechanics, University of Nebraska Omaha, Omaha, NE 68182, USA.
Children (Basel, Switzerland)
|August 26, 2023
Summary
Hospitalized children undergoing isolation showed reduced gross dexterity and altered brain activity patterns. These findings suggest potential neuroplastic changes in the motor cortex due to isolation, impacting behavior and motor skills.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Hospitalized children often experience isolation, potentially impacting neurodevelopment.
- Understanding the effects of isolation on pediatric brain activity and behavior is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe cortical brain activity patterns during a gross dexterity task in isolated children.
- To develop a behavioral profile of children experiencing hospital isolation.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional assessment of four pediatric patients in hospital isolation.
- Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to image motor cortex activity during the Box and Blocks Test.
- Behavioral Assessment System for Children, Third Edition (BASC-3) for emotional and social behavior quantification.
Main Results:
- All participants exhibited lower gross manual dexterity than normative values.
- Three out of four participants showed ipsilateral motor cortex dominance during the task.
- Three participants had clinically significant or at-risk behavioral scores on the BASC-3.
Conclusions:
- Combined clinical behavioral scores, reduced manual dexterity, and ipsilateral motor cortex dominance suggest neuroplasticity in isolated pediatric populations.
- Hospitalized isolation may induce neuroplastic changes affecting motor skills and behavior.
- Further research is needed to differentiate the impacts of isolation from medical treatments.
