title: Early life events and motor development in childhood and adolescence: a longitudinal study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Few studies have reported on early life risk factors for motor development outcomes past childhood. Antenatal, perinatal and neonatal factors affecting motor development from late childhood to adolescence were explored. As sex differences in motor development have been previously reported, males and females were examined separately.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants (n = 2868) were from the Western Australian Pregnancy Cohort Study. Obstetric and neonatal data were examined to determine factors related to motor development at 10 (n = 1622), 14 (n = 1584) and 17 (n = 1221) years. The Neuromuscular Development Index (NDI) of the McCarron Assessment of Motor Development determined offspring motor proficiency. Linear mixed models were developed to allow for changes in motor development over time.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Maternal pre-eclampsia, Caesarean section and low income were negatively related to male and female motor outcomes. Lower percentage of optimal birthweight was related to a lower male NDI. Younger maternal age, smoking during early pregnancy and stress during later pregnancy were related to lower female NDIs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Events experienced during pregnancy were related to motor development into late adolescence. Males and females were influenced differently by antenatal and perinatal risk factors; this may be due to sex-specific developmental pathways.
authors.affiliation: School of Health Sciences, University of Notre Dame Australia, Fremantle, Western Australian, Australia.
authors.forename: Tegan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Grace
authors.affiliation: Institute for Health Research, University of Notre Dame Australia, Fremantle, Western Australian, Australia.
authors.forename: Max
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bulsara
authors.affiliation: The Telethon Kids Institute, Subiaco, Western Australian, Australia.
authors.forename: Monique
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.affiliation: Institute for Health Research, University of Notre Dame Australia, Fremantle, Western Australian, Australia.
authors.forename: Beth
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hands
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D041923:Adolescent Development; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014904:Western Australia
keywords: Antenatal; Motor development; Risk factors; Sex differences