FINE MOTOR DEFICIT - AN ETIOLOGICALLY DISTINCT ENTITY

The prevalence of risk and adverse factors associated with fine motor disorder (n = 35) were compared with gross motor deficit (n = 158), gl obal developmental delay (n = 336), and combined fine and gross motor deficit among 1,241 children up to 3 years of age identified in the Ha ifa health district. A significantly increased preponderance of males was observed among the study group as compared to the group with gross motor deficit. Intranatal problems were significantly increased among children with fine motor deficits as compared to those with gross mot or deficits as were minor physical anomalies, seizures, and behavioral deficits. Less significant differences were observed between the stud y group and children with global developmental delay or fine and gross motor deficit. The different risk factor profiles indicated that the children with fine motor deficits constituted an etiologically distinc t group highly associated with early antepartum, possibly genetic, ori gins.