FUNCTIONAL-ANALYSIS OF SPONTANEOUS MOVEMENTS IN PRETERM INFANTS

Spontaneous movements of premature infants between 25 and 34 weeks con ceptional age were observed for 1 hr on two or three occasions. Subjec ts had low-risk prognoses and were clinically stable at the time of te sting. Behavioral acts were scored using a 0/1 time sampling technique in 60 continuous, 1-min time blocks. Temporal associations between in dividual movements were found using chi-square analyses. Some associat ed behaviors contained combinations consistent with neonatal action pa tterns, for example, single and bilateral leg kicking, head turning, a nd mouthing. Features of state organization were also evident in that general motor activity (GM), which has been used as a marker of active sleep (AS) in neonates, was found to cluster temporally with startle, facial, and head movements but not eye movements. Behavioral quiescen ce (greater than or equal to 5 s) was dissociated from AS-related beha viors (GM, facial, head, and eye movements). Combinations of state-seg regated behaviors were more likely to exhibit co-occurrence within 1-m in intervals in infants 30 weeks conceptional age and older. (C) 1994 John Wiley and Sons, Inc.