SENSITIVITY OF PERCEPTUOMOTOR MEASURES FOR VERY-LOW-BIRTH-WEIGHT (VLBW-LESS-THAN-OR-EQUAL-TO-1500G) PRESCHOOLERS

This longitudinal study investigated whether very low birthweight (VLBW less-than-or-equal-to 1500 g) pre-schoolers with no major handicap differed in cognitive and perceptuomotor development from a control group of normal birthweight children, matched for gender, ethnic origin, birth order, social class and maternal age. There were statistically significant differences between the groups at 24, 30 and 36 months. At all test ages, the VLBW group showed less optimal fine motor skills, and at 36 months, obtained lower IQ scores. The implications of the developmental differences and the sensitivity of the measures are discussed.