Motor Development Evaluation of Low Risk Preterm Infants through the First Six Months of Life

Abstract

Preterm and low birth weight children are at risk for developmental deficits, many preterm children even who do not develop cerebral palsy not having reached normal motor development level regarding their chronological age. Normal motor development starts at conception and continue throughout life according to a typical sequence, pattern and timing. Evaluation and early detection of developmental deviation in preterm infants will improve the concept of early intervention and result in better quality of life to the preterm infants and their families. A longitudinal, quantitative, comparative studyone hundred infants: Preterm and full-term infants were evaluated by Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) through the first 6 months of life. There was significant difference in mean values AIMS of preterm and full term newborns. Further studies are needed to assess motor development in preterm using corrected age.