title: Adaptive behavior in 10-11 year old children born preterm with a very low birth weight (VLBW).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aims were to compare adaptive behavior in 10-11 year old VLBW children with and without cerebral palsy (CP) to term-born children, and examine its relationship with neonatal factors and infant motor repertoire in VLBW children without CP.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-eight VLBW children without CP, 10 VLBW children with CP and 31 term-born control children were examined at 10-11 years using the parent-reported Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales-II. The Adaptive Behavior Composite Score, based on communication, daily living skills and socialization, was adjusted for sex, socioeconomic status (SES), cognitive (WISC-III) and motor function (MABC-2). Associations with neonatal variables and infant motor repertoire were also examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Adaptive Behavior Composite scores were significantly lower in the two VLBW groups (with CP: 72.5 ± 15.9; without CP: 92.2 ± 12.3) than in the control group (105.7 ± 17.5). The latter difference was still significant after adjustment for sex, SES, WISC-III and MABC-2. Among VLBW children without CP, an abnormal infant motor repertoire at 14 weeks post-term age was significantly associated with a lower Adaptive Behavior Composite score at 10-11 years of age (r(2) = 0.20, p = 0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  VLBW children have challenges regarding adaptive behavior. Specific attention may be needed to reveal such problems in VLBW children without major disabilities like CP, as these children had impaired adaptive function that could not be explained by their SES, cognitive or motor functions.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Clinical Services, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Norway; Dept. of Lab. Medicine, Children's and Women's Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway. Electronic address: toril.fjortoft@ntnu.no.
authors.forename: Toril
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fjørtoft
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Paediatrics, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Norway; Dept. of Lab. Medicine, Children's and Women's Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: Kristine Hermansen
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Grunewaldt
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Lab. Medicine, Children's and Women's Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; Dept. of Paediatrics, Sørlandet Hospital, Arendal, Norway.
authors.forename: Gro C Christensen
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Løhaugen
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Clinical Services, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Norway; Dept. of Public Health and General Practice, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: Siv
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mørkved
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Lab. Medicine, Children's and Women's Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; Dept. of Paediatrics, Sørlandet Hospital, Arendal, Norway.
authors.forename: Jon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Skranes
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Lab. Medicine, Children's and Women's Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; Dept. of Public Health and General Practice, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; Dept. of Physiotherapy, Trondheim Municipality, Norway.
authors.forename: Kari Anne I
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Evensen
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D002547:Cerebral Palsy; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D008297:Male
keywords: Adaptive behavior; General movements assessment; Infant motor behavior; Preterm; School age