title: Head Lag in Infancy: What Is It Telling Us?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate changes in head lag across postmenstrual age and define associations between head lag and (1) perinatal exposures and (2) neurodevelopment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-four infants born ≤ 30 wk gestation had head lag assessed before and at term-equivalent age. Neurobehavior was assessed at term age. At 2 yr, neurodevelopmental testing was conducted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Head lag decreased with advancing postmenstrual age, but 58% (n = 37) of infants continued to demonstrate head lag at term. Head lag was associated with longer stay in the neonatal intensive care unit (p = .009), inotrope use (p = .04), sepsis (p = .02), longer endotracheal intubation (p = .01), and cerebral injury (p = .006). Head lag was related to alterations in early neurobehavior (p < .03), but no associations with neurodevelopment were found at 2 yr.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Head lag was related to medical factors and early neurobehavior, but it may not be a good predictor of outcome when used in isolation.
authors.affiliation: Roberta G. Pineda, PhD, OTR/L, is Assistant Professor, Program in Occupational Therapy and Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO; pineda_r@kids.wustl.edu.
authors.forename: Roberta G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Pineda
authors.affiliation: Lauren C. Reynolds, OTD, OTR/L, is Research Coordinator, Program in Occupational Therapy, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO.
authors.forename: Lauren C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Reynolds
authors.affiliation: Kristin Seefeldt, OTR/L, is Occupational Therapist, The Lighthouse Neurological Rehabilitation Center, Kingsley, MI.
authors.forename: Kristin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Seefeldt
authors.affiliation: Claudia L. Hilton, PhD, OTR, is Assistant Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy and Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston.
authors.forename: Claudia L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Hilton
authors.affiliation: Cynthia L. Rogers, MD, is Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO.
authors.forename: Cynthia L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Rogers
authors.affiliation: Terrie E. Inder, MD, PhD, is Chair, Department of Pediatric Newborn Medicine, Brigham and Women's Infant Hospital, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Terrie E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Inder
mesh_terms: D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006257:Head / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000502:physiology*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies