Visual Perception, Fine Motor, and Visual-Motor Skills in Very Preterm and Term-Born Children before School Entry–Observational Cohort Study
Anne-Kathrin Dathe,
Julia Jaekel,
Julia Franzel,
Thomas Hoehn,
Ursula Felderhoff-Mueser,
Britta M. Huening
Affiliations
Anne-Kathrin Dathe
Department of Paediatrics I, Neonatology, Paediatric Intensive Care and Paediatric Neurology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45122 Essen, North-Rhine Westphalia, Germany
Julia Jaekel
Department of Child and Family Studies and Department of Psychology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
Julia Franzel
Department of General Paediatrics, Neonatology and Paediatric Cardiology, University Hospital Duesseldorf, 40225 Duesseldorf, North-Rhine Westphalia, Germany
Thomas Hoehn
Department of General Paediatrics, Neonatology and Paediatric Cardiology, University Hospital Duesseldorf, 40225 Duesseldorf, North-Rhine Westphalia, Germany
Ursula Felderhoff-Mueser
Department of Paediatrics I, Neonatology, Paediatric Intensive Care and Paediatric Neurology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45122 Essen, North-Rhine Westphalia, Germany
Britta M. Huening
Department of Paediatrics I, Neonatology, Paediatric Intensive Care and Paediatric Neurology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45122 Essen, North-Rhine Westphalia, Germany
Very preterm children (β = −0.25; p = 0.006), fine motor (β = −0.44; p β = −0.46; p < 0.001). The rate of developmental delay (<−1 SD) was higher among VP in visual perception (odds ratio (OR) = 3.4; 95% confidence interval (CI 1.1–10.6)), fine motor (OR = 6.2 (2.4–16.0)), and visual-motor skills (OR = 13.4 (4.1–43.9)) than in term-born controls. VP children are at increased risk for clinically relevant developmental delays in visual perception, fine motor, and visual-motor skills. Following up VP children until preschool age may facilitate early identification and timely intervention.
