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Association between small for gestational age and motor coordination difficulties in children aged 5-6 years:
Maki Tojo1, Hiroyoshi Iwata1, Naomi Tamura1
1Hokkaido University Center for Environmental and Health Sciences, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan.
Insights
Small for gestational age (SGA) is a risk factor for motor coordination difficulties in young children. Early screening for developmental coordination disorder in SGA infants is crucial for timely intervention.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Developmental Psychology
- Public Health
Background:
- Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) impacts motor skills in early childhood, potentially leading to later issues.
- Early intervention is vital, but risk factors in preschoolers are under-researched.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between being small for gestational age (SGA) and motor coordination problems in 5-6-year-old children.
- To identify other potential risk factors for DCD in this age group.
Main Methods:
- Prospective cohort study analyzing data from over 3500 children in the Hokkaido Study on Environment and Children's Health.
- Children aged 5-6 years were assessed using the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire Japanese version (DCDQ-J).
- Linear regression analyses were performed, adjusting for sex, maternal age, and smoking during pregnancy.
Main Results:
- Children born small for gestational age (SGA) had significantly lower DCDQ-J scores, particularly in "Control During Movement".
- SGA was independently associated with DCD.
- Child's sex, maternal smoking, maternal age, and preterm birth were also independently linked to DCD.
Conclusions:
- Being small for gestational age (SGA) is a significant risk factor for motor coordination difficulties in 5-6-year-old children.
- Combined with other factors, screening for DCD in SGA children is essential for early intervention.
Background:
Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) presents motor skill delays in early childhood and has been associated with later maladaptation, necessitating early intervention. However, research on the potential risk factors, particularly in preschool-aged children, remains scarce.
Aims:
We aimed to explore the association between small for gestational age (SGA) and other factors and motor coordination problems in 5-6-year-olds from the Hokkaido Study on Environment and Children's Health Cohort.
Study Design:
Prospective.
Subjects:
We analyzed data from >3500 participants from the Hokkaido Study, a prospective birth cohort, and assessed children aged 5-6 years.
Outcome Measures:
Participants underwent assessment with the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire Japanese version (DCDQ-J). We conducted linear regression analyses adjusted for variables such as the child's sex, maternal age, and maternal smoking history during pregnancy, while also examining the independent associations of each risk factor.
Results:
Among the 3883 children analyzed for SGA, children with SGA exhibited significantly lower DCDQ-J total scores than non-SGA children (mean difference: -2.25, 95 % confidence interval [-4.19, -0.30], p = 0.02). On the subscales, children with SGA demonstrated significantly lower "Control During Movement" scores than non-SGA children (mean difference: -0.96, 95 % confidence interval [-1.78, -0.13], p = 0.02). Furthermore, the child's sex, maternal smoking, maternal age, and preterm birth were independently associated with DCD.
Conclusions:
SGA was shown to be one of the risk factors for the manifestation of motor coordination difficulties in 5-6-years old children. In combination with other factors, screening for motor coordination difficulties in SGA children will be an important means of initiating appropriate interventions.
