Related Experiment Videos
Motor asymmetries in preterm infants: effects of prematurity and illness
Insights
Motor asymmetries like postural asymmetry and lateral head turning are present in preterm infants. However, respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) can disrupt lateral head turning, impacting infant development.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal neurology
- Developmental pediatrics
- Infant motor development
Background:
- Motor asymmetries, including postural and lateral head turning, are observable in preterm infants.
- The impact of postnatal illness, specifically respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), on these asymmetries is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the development of postural asymmetry and lateral head turning in preterm infants.
- To determine if respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) affects these motor behaviors.
Main Methods:
- Assessment of postural asymmetry and lateral head turning in three groups of preterm infants.
- Comparison between infants with and without a history of RDS.
Main Results:
- Right postural asymmetry is maintained from 34 weeks conceptional age and is unaffected by postnatal illness.
- Lateral head turning emerges by 36 weeks conceptional age but is impaired by physiological conditions.
- Infants with RDS exhibit poor muscle tonus and delayed head righting responses up to 39 weeks conceptional age.
Conclusions:
- Postnatal illness, such as RDS, can disrupt lateral head turning in preterm infants.
- Future studies on preterm infant outcomes must consider the influence of postnatal medical conditions on motor asymmetries.
Abstract:
Two types of motor asymmetry, postural asymmetry and lateral head turning, were assessed in 3 groups of preterm infants, one of which had experienced respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) in the postnatal period. Results reveal that maintenance of a right postural asymmetry is present as early as 34 weeks conceptional age and is not disrupted by postnatal illness. Lateral head turning after midline placement was evident as early as 36 weeks conceptional age but was disrupted by physiologic condition. Infants who had experienced RDS had poor muscle tonus and did not assume the head right position even at 39 weeks conceptional age. These data argue that lateral responding may be affected by illness and that studies of preterm populations must evaluate postnatal medical condition when assessing both the short- and long-term outcomes of lateral asymmetries.