MOTOR IMPAIRMENT IN CHILDREN 12 TO 13 YEARS OLD WITH A BIRTH-WEIGHT OF LESS-THAN 1250 G

Aim-To determine whether poor motor skills, previously identified in a cohort of very low birthweight (<1250 g) children, born in 1980-1, ha ve persisted or improved. Previous assessments had shown significant i mprovement between the ages of 6 and 8 years. Methods-The original coh ort were traced and were assessed using the Movement Assessment Batter y for Children, an update of the Test Of Motor Impairment, used at 6 a nd 8 years. Where possible the classroom-matched controls from the ori ginal studies were assessed, otherwise new controls were selected. Tea chers were also asked to identify those children whom they considered clumsy. Forty seven of the original cohort of 53 children, all but one still attending mainstream school, and 40 original and 20 new classro om-matched controls were studied. Results-Fifty one per cent of the co hort showed clinically important or borderline impairment. More of the se children had significant impairment (16/47, 34%) than the controls (3/60, 5%). The improvement seen by 8 years of age was maintained but there was no further improvement; Girls had significantly higher overa ll impairment scores (median 16; interquartile range 10-21.5) than the boys (5.5 (1.5-12.5)), and on a wider variety of subtests (5/8) than the boys (3/8). Conclusions-Many very low birthweight children have im paired motor skills. Despite early improvement it persists into adoles cence and the deficit remains. Interventional studies may help to see if these problems can be alleviated.