Article

Children born preterm with very-low birth-weight (VLBW) have increased risk of
motor impairment. Early identification of impairment guides treatment to improve
long-term function. Temporal-spatial gait parameters are an easily-recorded
assessment of gross motor function. The objective of this study was to
characterize preterm toddlers' gait and its relationship with neurodevelopment.
Velocity, cycle time, step width, step length and time asymmetry, %stance,
%single-limb support, and %double-limb support were calculated for 81 VLBW
preterm and 43 typically-developing (TD) toddlers. Neurodevelopment was assessed
with Bayley Scales of Infant Development-3rd Edition (BSID-III) motor composite
and gross motor scores. Mean step width (p=.009) was wider in preterm compared to
TD toddlers. Preterm toddlers with <85 BSID-III motor composite scores,
indicating mild-to-moderate delay, had significantly increased step width, step
length asymmetry, and step time compared to TD toddlers. Step time was also
significantly longer for lower-scoring compared to higher-scoring (>/=85 BSID-III
motor composite scores) preterm toddlers, suggesting that step time may be
particularly sensitive to gradations of motor performance. Velocity, cycle time,
step length asymmetry, %stance, step length, and step time significantly
correlated with BSID-III gross motor scores, suggesting that these parameters may
be revealing of gross motor function.
The differences in gait between
lower-scoring preterm toddlers and TD toddlers, together with the correlations
between gait and BSID-III motor scores, suggest that temporal-spatial gait
parameters may be useful in building a clinically-relevant, easily-conducted
assessment of toddler gross motor development.
CI - Copyright (c) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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