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Differences in Motor Development between Preterm Infants and Full-Term Preschool Children

Alicia Cuesta-Gómez1, Pilar Fernández-González1, María Carratalá-Tejada1

  • 1Motion Analysis, Ergonomics, Biomechanics and Motor Control Laboratory (LAMBECOM), Department of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Rehabilitation and Physical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Rey Juan Carlos University, 28922 Madrid, Spain.

Children (Basel, Switzerland)
|February 24, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Preterm infants show significant delays in gross and fine motor development compared to full-term peers. Early intervention programs and birth factors like gestational age did not show a correlation with motor skill outcomes in this study.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Neurodevelopmental Pediatrics
  • Developmental Psychology

Background:

  • Advances in neonatal care improve preterm infant survival.
  • Preterm birth is associated with increased risks of neurodevelopmental abnormalities.
  • Motor and sensory deficits can negatively impact academic achievement.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare gross and fine motor development in preterm and full-term children aged 3-6 years.
  • To utilize the Peabody Developmental Motor Scales 2 (PDMS-II) for assessment.
  • To identify factors influencing motor development in this age group.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 15 preterm and 15 full-term children (aged 3-6 years) was recruited.
  • Participants were matched for age and sex.
  • The Peabody Developmental Motor Scales 2 (PDMS-II) was administered to assess motor skills.

Main Results:

  • Statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) in PDMS-II scores were observed across most subscales between preterm and full-term children.
  • The 'grasping' subscale was the only exception, showing no significant difference.
  • No significant differences in motor development were found between preterm children who participated in early intervention programs and those who did not.
  • No correlation was identified between gestational age or birth weight and motor development outcomes in preschool-aged children.

Conclusions:

  • Children born preterm exhibit significant deficits in gross and fine motor development compared to their full-term counterparts.
  • Early intervention programs did not demonstrate a statistically significant impact on motor development in the studied preterm group.
  • Motor development at preschool age was not correlated with gestational age or birth weight in this cohort.

Keywords:
educational early interventionmotor skillspremature birthpreschool child

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