title: Palmar grasp behavior in full-term newborns in the first 72 hours of life.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The palmar grasp behavior is one of the items of an infant's routine neurological tests. Its exacerbated presence after the fifth month of age or absence in the first day after birth is an important sign of neuro-sensorimotor disorders. This study aimed to describe the palmar grasp behavior of full-term newborns in the first 72 h of life.
  
  
  METHODS
  This nonrandomized cross-sectional developmental study included 219 typical newborns aged 12-2 4h, 25-48 h and 49-72 h. Three measurements were performed with newborns in the supine position, recording the palmar grasp time and strength. Statistical analysis was applied with significant level of p<0.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Higher palmar grasp strength was observed in newborns aged 49-72 h compared to newborns aged 12-24 h and 25-48 h (F=7.42, p=0.01). There was significant difference in palmar grasp strength between hands (F=6.55, p=0.01), only in 12-24h, with greater strength in the left hand (t=-2.43, p=0.01), and difference in palmar grasp between strength (F=18.7, p=0.01) with greater strength in females (t=-5.40, p=0.01) only at the age 48-72 h.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It was concluded that the palmar grasp behavior modifies in the first 72 h of life.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, University of São Paulo Medical School (FMUSP), Hospital das Clínicas, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: jadydionisio@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Jadiane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dionísio
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, University of São Paulo Medical School (FMUSP), Hospital das Clínicas, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: moraes.mvm@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Marcus Vinicius Marques
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: de Moraes
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, University of São Paulo Medical School (FMUSP), Hospital das Clínicas, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: eloisatudella@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Eloisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tudella
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, University of São Paulo Medical School (FMUSP), Hospital das Clínicas, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: werther.brunow@icr.usp.br.
authors.forename: Werther Brunow
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: de Carvalho
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, University of São Paulo Medical School (FMUSP), Hospital das Clínicas, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: vera.krebs@icr.usp.br.
authors.forename: Vera Lúcia Jornada
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Krebs
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D018737:Hand Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008663:Metacarpus / Q000254:growth & development*
keywords: Functional laterality; Hand strength; Motor activity; Newborn