title: Long-term influences of a preterm birth on movement organization and side specialization in children at 4-8 years of age.
abstract: This study explored upper-limb and head kinematics during unimanual goal-directed movements in children born preterm (PT) and full-term (FT) aged 4-8 years. Further, functional lateralization was investigated through side-specific kinematics and hand preference observations. Altogether, 141 children were included, divided into three sub-groups based on gestation week at birth (GW). Children born FT (38-41 GW) and moderately PT (33-35 GW) showed faster, smoother, and shorter movement trajectories than children born very PT (V-PT < 33 GW). Only children born FT expressed evident side differences that were characterized by smoother movements with the preferred side. Regarding hand preference, the children born V-PT showed increased rates of non-right-handedness compared with the other groups. Regardless of hand preference, the children born V-PT showed less well organized movements compared with the other groups. These findings suggest that spatio-temporal movement organization and side specialization at pre-/early school-age are affected by a PT birth, and more frequently so for children born before 33 GWs, indicating long-lasting influences on neuromotor development and specialization.
authors: Department of Psychology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
authors: Anna-Maria
authors: AM
authors: Johansson
authors: Erik
authors: E
authors: Domellöf
authors: Louise
authors: L
authors: Rönnqvist
mesh_terms: D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena / Q000502:physiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013995:Time
keywords: child development; handedness; kinematics; laterality; motor performance; preterm