Comparison of chronological and corrected ages in the gross motor assessment of low-risk preterm infants during the first year of life

Abstract

-Objective: To evaluate the need of chronological age correction according to the degree of p re m a t u r i t y, when assessing gross motor development in pre t e rm infants, during the first year of life. Method: C o h o rt, observational and prospective study. Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) was used to evaluate 43 pre t e rm infants with low risk for motor neurological sequelae, during the first year of corre c t e d age. Mean scores were analyzed according to chronological and corrected ages. Children with motor neurological sequelae were excluded during follow-up. Results: G ross motor mean scores in pre t e rm infants tended to be higher when corrected age was used compared with those obtained when using chro n o l o gical age, during the first twelve months. At thirteen months of corrected age, an overlapping of confidence intervals between corrected and chronological ages was observed, suggesting that from that period onwards correction for the degree of prematurity is no longer necessary. Conclusion: Corrected age should be used for gross motor assessment in preterm infants during the first year of life.KEY WORDS: premature infant, low birth-weight infant, gestational age, motor activity.Comparação das idades cronológica e corrigida na avaliação motora grosseira de lactentes pré-termo com baixo risco no primeiro ano de vida RESUMO -Objetivo: Verificar a necessidade de corrigir a idade cronológica de acordo com o grau de prematuridade, na avaliação do desenvolvimento motor gro s s e i ro em recém-nascidos pré-termo, durante o p r i m e i ro ano de vida. Método: Estudo coorte, observacional e prospectivo. A Escala Motora Infantil de A l b e rta (AIMS) foi usada para avaliar 43 recém-nascidos pré-termos com baixo risco para lesão neuro l ó-gica motora durante o primeiro ano de vida. A média dos escores foi analisada segundo as idades corr i g idas e cronológicas. As crianças com seqüela motora neurológica foram excluídas durante o seguimento. Resultados: A média dos escores do desenvolvimento motor gro s s e i ro quando foi utilizada a idade corr i g ida tendeu a ser maior do que aqueles obtidos quando se utilizou a idade cronológica, durante os primeiro s 12 meses. Aos 13 meses de idade corrigida, foi observada sobreposição dos intervalos de confiança das médias dos escores entre as idades corrigidas e cronológicas, sugerindo que a partir deste período, a correção pelo índice de prematuridade não é mais necessária ao avaliar o desenvolvimento motor grosseiro de lactentes pré-term o . C o n c l u sã o: A idade corrigida deve ser usada na avaliação do desenvolvimento motor de recém-nascidos pré-termos durante o primeiro ano de vida. PALAVRAS-CHAVE: lactente pré-termo, lactente de baixo-peso, idade gestacional, atividade motora.Several pre and perinatal complications seen in p re t e rm infants are well known risk factors for the development of future neurological disabilities. The incidence of major disabilities is inversely related to b i rth weight and gestational age ranging from 20% to 40%, ...

Functional development of preterm infants: an integrative literature review

“…Some authors advocate its use (15,16), while others believe that age correction may overstate preterm performance in comparison to those born full term at two years of age (30). D' Agostino et al (31) reported that despite the international recommendation for age adjustment in premature infants, most professionals working in primary care do not use it, and that this fact has important implications for the care, such as erroneous detection of delays and early prescriptions.…”

Longitudinal Observation of Healthy Children's Motor Development Using the Alberta Infant Motor Scale

“…The Alberta Infant Motor Scale 1) (AIMS) is a standardized assessment tool of motor development 15,16) . The AIMS has been found to be an excellent motor tool [17][18][19][20][21] . The rater can complete the assessment in 20 to 30 minutes.…”

Predictive factors for neuromotor abnormalities at the corrected age of 12 months in very low birth weight premature infants

“…Both the pediatrician's and physical therapist's decisions regarding neuromotor development and Bayley score were taken into consideration to compute a new variable on final neuromotor development At 12 months corrected age, the child was classified as having normal or altered neuromotor development (the latter based on at least two alterations 13 in the neurological examination as reflex abnormality, focal neurological signs, any of the tonus alterations mentioned above; delay in motor milestones 13,14 , or PDI score <85 at 12 months corrected age.…”