Motor impairment and low achievement in very preterm children at eight years of age.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the concurrence of motor impairment and academic underachievement in a group of very preterm children at 8 years of age.


METHODS
All surviving children with a gestational age less than 30 weeks, admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit between 1987 and 1997, were prospectively enrolled in developmental follow-up. Children with a neurosensory disability or a low intelligence score (FSIQ < or = 75 points) were excluded. At 8 years of age the Bruininks Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency and standardised tests of academic achievement were administered to a sample of 323 very preterm children.


RESULTS
One hundred and one (31.3%) of these very preterm children were identified as having Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). Of the children with DCD, 54.4% also had underachievement in literacy and/or numeracy. As the severity of motor impairment increased so too did the severity and complexity of underachievement. Significantly fewer children with motor impairments participated in after-school sporting activities. Children with DCD required more mechanical ventilation support during their hospital admission.


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrated that a significant proportion of children born very preterm find both motor and academic skills difficult in early school years.
Wocadlo
Crista
C
Department of Newborn Care Royal Prince Alfred Women and Babies Hospital Missenden Road, Camperdown Sydney, 2050, Australia. crista.wocadlo@email.cs.nsw.gov.au
Rieger
Ingrid
I
D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D019957:Motor Skills Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric