title: Visual-motor, visual-perceptual, and fine motor outcomes in very-low-birthweight children at 5 years.
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.
authors.affiliation: Growth and Development Clinic, Perinatal Services, Westmead Hospital, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Goyen
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lui
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Woods
mesh_terms: D001034:Apgar Score; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D007360:Intelligence; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D008297:Male; D019957:Motor Skills Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D010468:Perceptual Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012923:Social Class; D014796:Visual Perception