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Early Biomedical and Environmental Factors Associated with Developmental Coordination Disorder in a Brazilian Preterm
Carolina Panceri1, Renato Soibelmann Procianoy1,2, Rita de Cássia Silveira1,2
1Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre 90035-903, Brazil.
Insights
Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) affects over half of Brazilian preterm children. Biomedical factors like bronchopulmonary dysplasia and environmental factors like family income are significant risk factors for DCD.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Child Psychology
Background:
- Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is common in preterm infants, but its causes are not fully understood.
- Previous studies have yielded conflicting results regarding DCD etiology.
- No prior research has investigated DCD prevalence and risk factors in Brazilian preterm populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify biomedical and environmental risk factors linked to DCD in Brazilian preterm children at preschool age.
- To address the gap in research concerning DCD in this specific demographic.
Main Methods:
- Sixty-three preterm children were evaluated at preschool age using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-Second Edition (MABC-2).
- Data on neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) stay, socioeconomic status, and environmental factors were collected.
- Multivariate logistic regression analysis was employed to determine associations between risk factors and DCD.
Main Results:
- The prevalence of DCD was 52.4% among the studied preterm children.
- Significant differences between groups were found in sex, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, ventilatory support, and family income.
- Logistic regression analysis identified sex, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and family income as significant risk factors for DCD.
Conclusions:
- Both biomedical and environmental factors contribute to the development of DCD in preschool-aged preterm children.
- Early screening and monitoring are crucial for identifying and managing motor difficulties in at-risk children.
- These findings underscore the importance of considering multiple risk factors in the assessment of DCD.
Background:
Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is frequent in preterm children, but its etiology remains unclear, with conflicting findings across studies. Moreover, no previous research has examined the rate and risk factors of DCD in Brazilian preterm populations.
Aim:
To investigate biomedical and environmental risk factors associated with a later indication of DCD at preschool age in Brazilian preterm children.
Methods:
Sixty-three preterm children from a follow-up clinic were assessed at preschool age using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-Second Edition (MABC-2). Biomedical data from the NICU stay and socioeconomic/environmental information were collected. The associations between potential risk factors and DCD were explored using multivariate logistic regression.
Results:
The prevalence of DCD was 52.4% (n = 33). Group differences were observed in sex, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, ventilatory support, and family income. Logistic regression [χ2(4) = 31.39; p < 0.006] identified sex, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and family income as significantly factors associated with DCD.
Conclusions:
Both biomedical and environmental risk factors are associated with DCD at preschool age. These findings highlight the need for early screening and monitoring, as minor motor difficulties may be overlooked when such risk factors are observed.
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