Infant Discovery Learning and Lower Extremity Coordination: Influence of Prematurity

Abstract

ABSTRACTAims: Preterm infants at increased risk for neurodevelopmental disabilities, including cerebral palsy, demonstrate reduced selective leg joint coordination. Full-term infants demonstrate more selective hip–knee coordination when specific leg actions are reinforced using an overhead infant mobile. The purpose of this pilot study was to determine the ability of preterm infants to: (1) perform and learn through discovery, the contingency between leg action and mobile activation, and (2) demonstrate more selective hip–knee coordination when leg actions are reinforced with mobile activation. Methods: At both 3 and 4-months corrected age, ten infants born very preterm and with very low birth weight participated in 2 sessions of mobile reinforcement on consecutive days. Results: The preterm group at 4-months, but not 3-months, learned the contingency between leg action and mobile activation. Preterm infants at 4-months were separated into those that learned (n = 6) and did not learn (n = 4) the contingency. As a group, preterm infants at 4-months who learned the contingency, did not demonstrate more selective hip–knee coordination when interacting with the mobile on Day 2 as compared to spontaneous kicking on Day 1. Conclusions: Preterm infants, as compared to full-term infants, may have difficulty producing more selective hip–knee coordination during task-specific leg action.