scholarly journals Motor Development Evaluation of Low Risk Preterm Infants through the First Six Months of Life

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  

Preterm and low birth weight children are at risk for developmental deficits, many preterm children even who do not develop cerebral palsy not having reached normal motor development level regarding their chronological age. Normal motor development starts at conception and continue throughout life according to a typical sequence, pattern and timing. Evaluation and early detection of developmental deviation in preterm infants will improve the concept of early intervention and result in better quality of life to the preterm infants and their families. A longitudinal, quantitative, comparative studyone hundred infants: Preterm and full-term infants were evaluated by Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) through the first 6 months of life. There was significant difference in mean values AIMS of preterm and full term newborns. Further studies are needed to assess motor development in preterm using corrected age.

2012 ◽  
Vol 130 (5) ◽  
pp. 299-306 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sophie Helena Eickmann ◽  
Natália Ferraz de Araújo Malkes ◽  
Marília de Carvalho Lima

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: The immaturity of preterm infants' organ systems may lead to difficulties in adapting to different environmental stimuli. The aim was to compare the psychomotor development of preterm infants (with corrected age) and term infants aged 6 to 12 months and to investigate associated factors.DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional analytical study conducted at Hospital das Clínicas, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco.METHODS: The sample consisted of 135 infants (45 preterm and 90 full-term) aged 6 to 12 months. Neuropsychomotor development was assessed using the Bayley III cognitive, language and motor subscales. Biological, socioeconomic and demographic data were gathered from medical records and through interviews with mothers.RESULTS: The mean cognitive, language and motor indices were within the range of normality for the sample as a whole. No significant difference in the development of infants born preterm and full-term was observed, except for expressive communication, in which preterm infants presented a lower index. Motor development was influenced by biological factors, and the poorest performances were observed in male infants; birth weight birth weight < 1500 g; Apgar score at five minutes < 7; weight-, length- and head circumference-for-age < -1 Z-score; and exclusively breastfeeding for < two months.CONCLUSIONS: Prematurity did not influence the psychomotor development of infants in this study population. Motor development was the most affected domain in the sample as a whole, especially due to biological factors. Investigations on child neuropsychomotor development should try to identify many determinant factors because of its multifactorial nature.


PEDIATRICS ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 96 (1) ◽  
pp. 64-68
Author(s):  
J. Groswasser ◽  
M. Sottiaux ◽  
E. Rebuffat ◽  
T. Simon ◽  
M. Vandeweyer ◽  
...  

Objective. To investigate the effect of body rocking on infant respiratory behavior during sleep. Methods. Eighteen infants with documented obstructive sleep apneas were studied. There were eight premature infants with persistent bradycardias and 10 infants born full-term, admitted after an idiopathic apparent life-threatening event. No cause for the obstructive apneas was found. The infants were recorded with polygraphic techniques during two successive nights. They were randomly assigned to a rocking or a nonrocking mattress. The conditions were reversed the following night, in a crossover design. Results. In both groups of infants, no significant difference was seen between the two consecutive nights for most of the variables studied: total sleep time, the proportion of non-rapid-eye-movement and rapid-eye-movement sleep, the number of arousals, the number and maximal duration of central apneas, the frequency of periodic breathing, the level of oxygen saturation, and heart rate. During the nonrocking nights, all infants had repeated obstructive breathing events. In seven of the eight preterm infants and in nine of the 10 full-term subjects, body rocking was associated with a significant decrease in the frequency of obstructive events. During rocking, in the preterm infants the obstructions fell from a median of 2.5 to 1.8 episodes per hour (P = .034). In the full-term infants, rocking reduced the obstructive events from a median of 1.5 obstructions per hour to 0.7 (P = .005). No difference was seen for the duration of the obstructive episodes. Conclusion. In preterm and full-term infants prone to obstructive sleep apneas, gentle side-to-side body rocking is associated with a significant decrease in the frequency of upper-airway obstructions.


2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 2670-2678
Author(s):  
Esedra E Krüger ◽  
Alta AM Kritzinger ◽  
Lidia L Pottas

Background: Normative information on the breastfeeding of term newborns may guide clinicians in early identification of breastfeeding difficulties and oro-pharyngeal dysphagia (OPD), and may support optimal breastfeeding practices. Objective: To describe breastfeeding skills of term newborn infants in a South African hospital, a lower-middle-income setting, and investigate associations between infants’ feeding and other factors.Method: One breastfeeding session of each of the 71 healthy newborn full-term infants (mean chronological age=1.9 days; mean gestation=39.1 weeks) was evaluated using the Preterm Infant Breastfeeding Behavior Scale (PIBBS), suitable for use with term newborns.Results: All participants were exclusively breastfed. Thirteen participants (18%) were HIV-exposed. There was no significant difference in the findings of the PIBBS between HIV-exposed and unexposed participants. Most newborns had obvious rooting, latched deeply onto the nipple and some of the areola, had repeated long sucking bursts (mean length=16.82 sucks/burst), and swallowed repeatedly. Most participants were in either the drowsy or quiet-alert state, which are optimal behavioural states for breastfeeding. One to two-hourly on-demand feeds was significantly associated with mothers who had normal births and did not use galactogogues to promote lactation.Conclusion: Results may be used for early identification of OPD in newborns. The findings may be useful to primary care clinicians.Keywords: Full-term, newborn, breastfeeding, feeding skills, feeding characteristics, normative data.


2014 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 413-420 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giselle Athayde Xavier Coutinho ◽  
Daniela de Mattos Lemos ◽  
Antônio Prates Caldeira

Introduction The population of children born prematurely has increased in line with improving the quality of perinatal care. It is essential to ensure to these children a healthy development. Objective We evaluate the neuromotor development of a group of preterm infants regularly assisted by a physiotherapy service in comparison to full-term newborns, checking, so the impact of the service. Materials and methods We randomly assigned preterm and full-term infants that formed two distinct groups. The group of preterm infants was inserted into a monitoring program of physiotherapy while the other infants were taken as a control group not receiving any assistance in physiotherapy. The groups were compared using the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) at forty-week, four and six months of corrected gestational age and the scores were compared using Student's t-test, assuming a significance level of 5% (p < 0.05). Results The preterm group had significantly lower scores at 40th week compared to the control group, but subsequent scores showed no significant differences between the two groups. Conclusion The timely and adequate stimulation was efficient to promote the motor development of premature infants included in a follow up clinic.


2020 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 367-373
Author(s):  
Penelope D. Manta-Vogli ◽  
Kleopatra H. Schulpis ◽  
Yannis L. Loukas ◽  
Yannis Dotsikas

AbstractBackgroundThe amino acids glutamine plus glutamate, phenylalanine and tyrosine are implicated in neurotransmission. We aimed to evaluate these amino acid blood concentrations in full-term breastfed infants with different birth weight (BW) perinatally.MethodsBreastfed full-term infants (n = 6000, males 3000, females 3000) BW 2000–4000 g were divided into four equal groups. Both males and females Groups A, 2000–2500 g, B 2500–3000 g, C 3000–3500 g, D 3500–4000 g. Blood samples on Guthrie cards, were taken on the 3rd day of life and quantified via a liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method.ResultsGlutamine plus glutamate mean values were found to be statistically significantly different between males vs. females in all the studied groups. The highest values were determined in both males and females in group D. Statistically significantly higher values of phenylalanine appeared in group D vs. other groups. Tyrosine mean values were calculated to be statistically significantly different in both sexes in group A compared to other groups.ConclusionsDifferences of glutamine plus glutamate, phenylalanine and tyrosine levels among full-term newborns with different BW are presented for the first time in the literature. Newborns with BW 3000–4000 g are benefited by having higher concentrations of the mentioned neurotransmission related amino acids. Neonatal screening reference values for these amino acids in relation to BW could be established, not only for preterm and low BW infants but also for full-term newborns with BW >3000 g.


2012 ◽  
Vol 70 (8) ◽  
pp. 593-598 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana P. Restiffe ◽  
José Luiz D. Gherpelli

OBJECTIVE: To compare gross motor development of preterm infants (PT) without cerebral palsy with healthy full-term (FT) infants, according to Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS); to compare the age of walking between PT and FT; and whether the age of walking in PT is affected by neonatal variables. METHODS: Prospective study compared monthly 101 PT and 52 FT, from the first visit, until all AIMS items had been observed. Results: Mean scores were similarity in their progression, except from the eighth to tenth months. FT infants were faster in walking attainment than PT. Birth weight and length and duration of neonatal nursery stay were related to walking delay. CONCLUSION: Gross motor development between PT and FT were similar, except from the eighth to tenth months of age. PT walked later than FT infants and predictive variables were birth weight and length, and duration of neonatal intensive unit stay.


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 565
Author(s):  
Yogesh P. Mehta ◽  
Manjusha Bhicurao Naik ◽  
Kinnera Putrevu

Background: Late preterm babies, born between 34 completed weeks of gestation through 36 weeks 6/7 gestation, tend to be physiologically less mature than term infants, subjecting them to an increased risk of developing various morbidities. Limited information is available regarding the current scenario in India. Therefore, the objective of this study was to understand and compare the early morbidities in late preterm newborns with those in full term babies in a tertiary hospital in India.Methods: The current prospective, observational study consisted of total 150 babies divided into two groups equally; late preterm neonates born between 34 and 36 weeks of gestation and full-term neonates. Weight (at birth, at 72 hours), heart rate, temperature and respiratory parameters were noted of all babies. The newborns were examined for respiratory morbidities, ability to breastfeed, hypoglycemia, hypothermia, neonatal jaundice and signs of sepsis. The need for resuscitation, admission to neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and parenteral nutrition was also assessed. Data was expressed as mean±SD and was analyzed using the Student ‘t’ and Mann Whitney U tests.Results: The mean length and weight at birth in late preterm babies was significantly lesser than term newborns. Late preterm babies were found to have significantly higher incidence of complications like hyperbilirubinemia (62.7% vs 13.3%), respiratory morbidities (16% vs 4%), poor feeding, hypothermia, hypoglycemia, and sepsis compared to term newborns (p<0.01).Conclusions: Late preterm infants are at a higher risk than term infants for a number of neonatal complications. Initiatives imparting special care to late preterm infants are required in order to lower the morbidities endured by this population.


2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pavel A. Zykin ◽  
Anatolij N. Yalfimof ◽  
Timofey A. Aleksandrov ◽  
Elena I. Krasnoshchekova ◽  
Lyubov A. Tkachenko ◽  
...  

With the wide use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in clinical practice, more attention is paid to corpus callosum hypoplasia in children with various central nervous system diseases, including the cerebral palsy. We compared the areas of corpus callosum segments on the mid-sagittal MR images of the children with cerebral palsy and a control group; full-term infants and preterm infants. During the postnatal development, overall callosum area naturally increases, but single segments change differently in both absolute and relative values. In the control group, the relative area of the splenium grew insignificantly, whereas for the genu, it was stable. Children with cerebral palsy also show age-specific growth, but the area of corpus callosum is smaller compared with equal age children in the control group. We found an increased relative area of corpus callosum genu and a decrease of anterior body and splenium in the cerebral palsy group compared with the control group. The kCC index shows higher values in the control group than in any age subgroup of children with cerebral palsy. Mean values for the control group steadily increase with age, whereas in the cerebral palsy group, they remain the same. For every age-specific group, the difference of kCC was statistically significant. Mean kCC index values depend on gestational age and are statistically lower in preterm infants compared with full-term infants. Selective corpus callosum hypoplasia found in the current research could be due to Wallerian degeneration or a decreased number of axons in some of its segments. This could be explained by the disruption of neurogenesis in certain cortical areas. The morphometric index kCC can be used to detect deviations in the corpus callosum structure associated with prematurity and cerebral palsy.


2006 ◽  
Vol 34 (7) ◽  
pp. 877-890 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sylvester N. Madu ◽  
Johannes J. roos

This study examined the level of maternal depressive symptoms and ways of coping among mothers with preterm infants as compared with those of 50 mothers with full-term babies. It was conducted in a hospital in Pretoria, South Africa, using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS; Cox, Holden, & Sagovsky, 1987) and the Ways of Coping Questionnaire (Folkman & Lazarus, 1988). No significant difference was found in the level of depression between the two groups. The overall level of depression found with both combined groups, was 2–3 times higher than those suggested in the literature. A positive correlation was found between the “Seeking Social Support” coping strategy and higher levels of depression among mothers of preterm infants. A positive correlation was also found among mothers of full-term infants who used the “Accepting Responsibility” coping strategy and higher levels of depression. The high number of mothers in this study identified as suffering from a depressive illness of varying severity raises concern. A clear need for professional help among this population is emphasized. Future research in this area is needed in order to better understand and effectively address this problem.


2016 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 136-140
Author(s):  
Gunjan Gupta ◽  
Kaniyanoor Venkatesan Vijay Kumar ◽  
R. Anitha ◽  
Binu Ninan

Introduction: Feeding problems are commonly reported among preterm infants. As premature infants are born before adequate maturation, inadequate feeding capabilities are common among preterm infants. Feeding is an innate behaviour in a new born. Swallowing is evident in a foetus by 16th week of gestation (Tuchman, 1994). By 40th week of gestation, neural processes are expected to mature completely. Feeding is an innate behaviour in a new born. Swallowing is evident in a foetus by 16th week of gestation. By 40th week of gestation, neural processes are expected to mature completely. Since the premature infants are born before adequate maturation of the systems, it is not unusual for them to have inadequate feeding capabilities.Material and Methods: This study aimed to compare feeding performance in preterm (between 30 and 34 weeks GA) and full term infants at 40 weeks Post menstrual age. Seventy infants and their mothers served as participants. A close ended questionnaire documented the oral reflexes, oro-motor skills, oro-sensory skills and feeding history in infants.Results: Results were tabulated under feeding history, (viz; history of use of nasogastric feeding, duration of feeding, episodes of coughing/ choking and vomiting, fussing during feeding, noisy breathing) and oral skills. Significant difference in feeding behaviour was observed between the term and preterm infants at 40 weeks post menstrual age. Conclusion: Hence the need for Speech Language Pathologist to evaluate feeding behaviour at 40 weeks post menstrual age becomes necessary.


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