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Visual-motor, visual-perceptual, and fine motor outcomes in very-low-birthweight children at 5 years
1Growth and Development Clinic, Perinatal Services, Westmead Hospital, NSW, Australia.
Insights
Many very-low-birthweight children exhibit fine motor skill deficits, impacting visual-motor function. These challenges may persist into later childhood, requiring further investigation and management strategies.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Neuroscience
- Child Psychology
Background:
- Very-low-birthweight (VLBW) children often face developmental challenges.
- Visual-motor deficits can impact a child's overall development and academic performance.
- Understanding these deficits in typically developing VLBW children is crucial for early intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence and severity of visual-motor deficits in 5-year-old VLBW children.
- To explore the relationship between visual-motor skills, visual perception, and fine motor abilities.
- To identify risk factors associated with visual-motor impairments in this population.
Main Methods:
- Assessed 83 neurologically and intellectually normal (IQ >84) VLBW children at age 5.
- Utilized standardized tests to evaluate visual-motor function, visual perception, and fine motor skills.
- Analyzed correlations between different skill domains and identified factors associated with poorer outcomes.
Main Results:
- 17% of VLBW children had below-average visual-motor scores; 23% showed impairment.
- A significant majority (71%) exhibited below-average fine motor skills.
- Fine motor scores were lower in VLBW children born <28 weeks gestation, with hyaline membrane disease, or requiring prolonged ventilation.
- Significant correlations were found between visual-motor and fine motor (r=0.50) and visual perception (r=0.42) scores.
Conclusions:
- Visual-motor deficits are prevalent in seemingly normal VLBW children at age 5.
- Fine motor difficulties appear to be a significant contributing factor to visual-motor impairments.
- Further research is needed to understand the long-term implications and effective management strategies for these children.
Abstract:
The prevalence and severity of visual-motor deficits and the relation of visual-motor function to visual perception and fine motor skills was examined in a group of 83 neurologically and intellectually normal (IQ >84) very-low-birthweight (VLBW) children at age 5. Fifteen children (17%) had below average visual motor scores (<1SD below mean). While relatively few children (N=9) had below average scores in visual perception (11%), 58 (71%) had below average scores for fine motor skills. Nineteen (23%) were considered impaired (<1.5SD); of these, eight were severely impaired (<2SD). Fine motor scores were significantly lower in children who had been born <28 weeks' gestation, with hyaline membrane disease, or had required a longer period of ventilation. There was significant correlation between visual-motor and fine motor scores (r = 0.50, P < 0.001) and between visual-motor and visual perception scores (r = 0.42, P < 0.001). The implications of these findings and management of these 'normal' children need further research. Previous reports of visual-motor dysfunction in school-age VLBW children could be related to fine motor difficulties.