EARLY POSTURAL CONTROL OF PRETERM INFANTS DURING THE FIRST SIX MONTHS AFTER TERM AGE: COMPARISON WITH FULLTERM INFANTS

Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate the development of early postural control in healthy preterm infants (PT) during the first six months of after term age and to compare it with healthy fullterm infants (FT).

Methods: A longitudinal study was carried out with a group of 12 infants born with gestational age below 32 weeks (PT1); a group of 12 infants with gestational age between 32 and 36 weeks (PT2), and a group of 12 infants born with gestational age between 38 and 41 weeks. The Chailey Levels of Ability assessment was used to evaluate the supine, prone, sitting and standing positions, observing the positions and movements of the body segments, the relationship among them, and the weight bearing. Evaluations took place at 15 days, 1st., 2nd., 3rd., 4th., 5th. and 6th. month of age; the gestational age of the PT infant was corrected for 40 weeks.

Results: No differences were detected among the groups in the supine, prone and sitting positions. There was significant difference (p<0.05) for the standing position between the PT2 group and the FT group when both groups were 4 and 5 months old, when the PT2 group presented lower results. The development of early postural control evolves sequentially in PT and FT infants. The highest abilities acquired, with enough muscle and strength control to overcome gravity, happened in the supine and prone positions. Preterm infants achieved particular ages presenting low abilities levels no more identifiable in the group of FT infants, besides showing children in higher levels, not observed in children belonging to the other group. The highest variability in the extremes was mainly observed in PT1 group.

Conclusion: All PT infants, independently of gestational age, should be followed up on long-term basis in order to detect likely development problems.