General movements in early infancy predict neuromotor development at 9 to 12 years of age

Assessment of the quality of general movements (GMs) in early infancy is a powerful instrument to predict cerebral palsy (CP). The aim of the present study is to explore the value of GM assessment in predicting minor neurological dysfunction (MND) at 9 to 12 years of age. Two groups of infants were studied prospectively: 28 low-risk full-term infants (11 females, 17 males) and 24 high-risk infants, mostly born preterm (<37 weeks; 11 females, 13 males). In each group the quality of GMs (normal or abnormal) was assessed during two developmental periods: the age at which ‘writhing’ GMs occur (36 weeks’ postmenstrual age to 7 weeks’ postterm) and the age at which ‘fidgety’ GMs occur (8 to 17 weeks’ postterm). Eight of 24 high-risk infants were diagnosed as having CP at 4 to 9 years of age. The remaining 44 children were followed-up at 9 to 12 years. In children without CP, quality of GMs at ‘fidgety age’ was related to neurological condition (normal, simple MND, complex MND) at follow-up (rho=0.46, p<0.01). Abnormal GMs at ‘fidgety-GM age’ showed a specific relationship to the development of coordination problems (chi2=6.1, p=0.01) and fine manipulative disability (Fisher, p<0.05) at 9 to 12 years. This finding supports the notion that the quality of GMs may provide information on the integrity of complex supraspinal circuitries.