The relationship between periventricular brain injury and deficits in visual processing among extremely-low-birthweight (< 1000 g) children

Objective: To examine the relationship between neonatal, periventricular br ain damage and visuomotor performance in extremely-low-birthweight (ELBW) c hildren of normal intelligence whose birthweights were appropriate for gest ational age (AGA). Methods: Seventy-eight ELBW and 23 control children, all six years of age, completed two "motor-free" tests of visual spatial ability and three tests requiring visuomotor control. Results: Full-term control children outperformed ELBW children with periven tricular brain damage on all three tests requiring visuomotor guidance. No group differences were found on two "motor-free" tests of visual spatial ab ility. ELBW children without periventricular brain damage performed in a ma nner indistinguishable from controls on all tests included in this study. Conclusions: The findings indicate that the presence and severity of perive ntricular brain injury are important factors to consider in predicting visu omotor development in ELBW children.