HANDEDNESS IN EXTREMELY LOW-BIRTH-WEIGHT INFANTS - ETIOLOGY AND RELATIONSHIP TO INTELLECTUAL ABILITIES, MOTOR-PERFORMANCE AND BEHAVIOR AT 4AND 6 YEARS

Hand preference was measured in a total group of 71 ELBW children to d etermine patterns of hand preference at 4 and 6 years, possible aetiol ogical factors leading to handedness, and whether left or non right ha nd preference were markers for intellectual, motor, temperament or beh avioural differences. At both 4 and 6 years the prevalence ot left han dedness was increased, though this prevalence changed over the period of the study. Results supported brain injury as one mechanism leading to increased left hand preference, though this process did not adequat ely explain this increase. Possible reasons for this and the apparent change in prevalence with time are examined. Mixed handedness at 4 yea rs was associated with lower intellectual abilities though otherwise c hildren were similar in motor skills, temperament and behaviour indepe ndent of hand preference category.