Motor skills in adolescents with low birth weight

Abstract

Background: Minor motor problems have been reported in low birthweight children, but few studies have assessed motor skills in adolescents. Objective: To examine the prevalence of motor problems in adolescents with low birth weight. Method: Fifty four very low birthweight (VLBW: birth weight ≤ 1500 g), 59 term small for gestational age (SGA: birth weight < 10th centile), and 83 control (birth weight ≥ 10th centile at term) children were assessed with the Movement assessment battery for children (Movement ABC) at the age of 14 in a population based study. Results: One in four VLBW children (odds ratio (OR) 9.3, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.5 to 34.5) and one in six SGA children (OR 4.7, 95%CI 1.2 to 18.4) had motor problems compared with controls (3.7%). There were no sex differences in motor problems in the VLBW group, and the increased risk was consistent across the continuum of the Movement ABC. For SGA children, the increased risk of motor problems was particularly in manual dexterity in boys. Conclusion: VLBW and SGA adolescents have increased risk of motor problems compared with control children.