Very low birth weight infants in China: the predictive value of the motor repertoire at 3 to 5 months for the motor performance at 12 months

BACKGROUND: Studies on motor performance and its early markers are rare in China, especially in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants. OBJECTIVE: Apart from the assessment of the inter-scorer agreement, we aimed to analyze to what extent the motor repertoire at 10 to 18 weeks postterm was related to neonatal complications, and gross and fine motor performance at 12 months after term. STUDY DESIGN: Exploratory prospective study. SUBJECTS: Seventy-four VLBW infants (58 males; mean gestational age = 29 weeks; mean birth weight = 1252 g). METHOD: Five-minute video recordings were performed at 10 to 18 weeks after term; fidgety movements and the concurrent motor patterns (resulting in a motor optimality score) were assessed according to the Prechtl general movements assessment (GMA). The gross and fine motor performance was assessed by means of the Peabody Developmental Motor Scales, second edition, at 12 months. RESULTS: Reliability was excellent. Pneumonia was associated with absent fidgety movements; the motor optimality score was lower in infants with pneumonia and/or bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Both absent fidgety movements and a lower motor optimality score were associated with a poor or very poor gross and fine motor performance at the 12-month-assessment. CONCLUSION: Both the assessment of fidgety movements and the evaluation of the concurrent motor repertoire contribute significantly to an identification of VLBW children with a poor gross and fine motor outcome at 12 months. The results of this study document the need for an early identification of infants at high risk for a poor motor performance.