NEUROMOTOR BEHAVIOR OF FULL TERM(FT) AND PRETERM(PT) INFANTS AT 3 & 6 MO

Abstract

A comprehensive Neuromotor Behavioral Inventory measuring motor tone, movement patterns, reflexes, environment, and oral motor behavior was used on 181 PT and FT infants born 1978-82 at 3 and 6 months. At 3 months, healthy FT infants had better quality of movement and were more advanced in motor skills than either healthy PT or ventilated PT infants. Healthy FT and healthy PT infants had little in common at this age except for the absence of abnormal responses. Some responses could be rank ordered such as head control, righting reactions, and blocks to movement.Best responses were seen in healthy FT infants, followed by healthy PT, and worst in ventilated PT infants. Ventilated PT infants had the greatest number of abnormal responses, greatest variation in behavior, and the least predictable sequence of development. At 6 months, FT infants continued to have better quality of movement and more advanced motor skills. Similarities between FT and healthy PT infants increased, particularly in muscle tone,sitting and the absence of blocks to movement. Ventilated PT infants had the highest incidence of abnormalities in tone,deviations in head and trunk control,and delays in motor skills(40%).This analysis of behavior demonstrates the predictability of neuromotor responses in healthy FT infants, the variability of development in healthy PT infants,the high incidence of abnormal development in ventilated PT infants,and provides a basis of knowledge of development of PT infants which may be used to discriminate between normal and abnormal high-risk FT and PT neonates.