title: Neurological assessment of the preterm infant in the special care nursery and the diagnostic significance of the asymmetrical tonic neck reflex.
abstract: Neurological assessment at preterm age of 105 infants born at < 34 weeks gestation is discussed. The development of the asymmetrical tonic neck reflex (ATNR) was studied. There was no consistent post-menstrual age at which the 7 allocated grades occurred. The diagnostic significance of the preterm ATNR response for motor development (until 2 years) was considered. The incidence of an imposable reflex dominating spontaneous movement was significantly different (p<0.001) in the normal (n = 89) versus the abnormal development group (n = 16;13 having spastic cerebral palsy). The inclusion of observation of the quality of movement for this reflex could provide useful information in neurological assessment of preterm infants.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Lacey
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Henderson-Smart
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Storey