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Transient dystonia in non-handicapped low-birthweight infants and later neurodevelopment
K Sommerfelt1, S Pedersen, B Ellertsen
1Department of Paediatrics, University of Bergen, Norway.
Insights
Transient infant dystonia in very low-birthweight (VLBW) infants without cerebral palsy did not significantly impact long-term development. Cognitive, neuromotor, and behavioral outcomes at age five were comparable between infants with and without this transient muscle tone increase.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal neurology
- Developmental pediatrics
Background:
- Transient dystonia, an increase in muscle tone during infancy, is observed in some very low-birthweight (VLBW) infants.
- The long-term developmental impact of this transient condition in VLBW infants without cerebral palsy requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the long-term prognostic significance of transient dystonia in VLBW infants without cerebral palsy.
- To evaluate motor, cognitive, and behavioral development at 5 years of age in this cohort.
Main Methods:
- A population-based sample of 50 VLBW children was studied.
- Transient dystonia was identified in 14 infants.
- Developmental assessments included the Peabody Developmental Motor Scales, Wechsler Preschool and Primary scale of Intelligence, and behavioral inventories at 5 years.
Main Results:
- Transient dystonia was exploratively associated with lower 1-minute Apgar scores, neonatal bacterial infections, and absence of breast milk.
- Cognitive, neuromotor, and behavioral development at 5 years were comparable between VLBW infants with and without transient dystonia.
- A non-significant trend suggested more neuromotor issues in infants with transient dystonia.
Conclusions:
- Transient dystonia in VLBW infants without cerebral palsy does not appear to have a significant negative impact on cognitive, neuromotor, or behavioral development at 5 years.
- While associated with certain neonatal factors, transient dystonia itself may not be a strong predictor of long-term developmental deficits.
Abstract:
The aim of the present study was to evaluate the long-term prognostic significance of transient increase in muscle tone during infancy (dystonia) in very low-birthweight (VLBW) infants without cerebral palsy. Motor (Peabody Developmental Motor Scales), cognitive (Wechsler Preschool and Primary scale of Intelligence) and behavioural (Personality Inventory for Children, Yale Children's Inventory) development was assessed at 5 years of age. In a population-based sample of 50 VLBW children, transient dystonia was present in 14. In explorative analyses, transient dystonia was associated with low 1 min Apgar scores, neonatal bacterial infection, and lack of breast-milk in the neonatal period. Cognitive, neuromotor and behavioural development at 5 years of age was comparable in those with and without transient dystonia, although there was a statistically non-significant tendency towards more neuromotor problems in the dystonic children.