ORIGINAL ARTICLE   

Minerva Pediatrica 2019 August;71(4):333-42

DOI: 10.23736/S0026-4946.16.04513-8

Copyright © 2016 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Usefulness of the most popular neurodevelopmental tests in preschool assessment of children born with very low birth weight

Maja GILARSKA ¹ ✉, Małgorzata KLIMEK ¹, Magdalena NITECKA ², Grażyna DUTKOWSKA ², Monika GASIŃSKA ³, Przemko KWINTA ¹

¹ Department of Pediatrics, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland; ² Department of Applied Psychology and Human Development, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland; ³ Department of Rehabilitation, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland

BACKGROUND: The aim of our study was multifaceted neurodevelopmental examination of children born prematurely with very low birth weight (VLBW) in order to evaluate the usefulness of popularly used tests. The second aim of the study was exploration of risk and protective factors of neurodevelopmental impairment.
METHODS: Eighty-nine VLBW patients were evaluated at the age of 50 months. All children underwent anthropometric measurements and psychomotor tests: functional independence measure scale (WeeFIM), Gross Motor Function Measurement (GMFM), non-verbal psychometric evaluation (Leiter test), Developmental Test of Visual Perception (DTVP-2), temperament questionnaire (EAS-C) and children vocabulary test (TSD).
RESULTS: Most severe deficits in ex-preterms’ neurodevelopment were associated with verbal abilities, visual perception and temper abnormalities. WeeFIM, DTVP-2, Leiter and vocabulary tests’ results correlated with each other. The lowest percent of children with deficits in WeeFIM test indicates, that it seems to be the most valuable tool for identification of the most seriously impaired children. Due to the highest percent of children with visual perception deficits, DTVP test seems to be good second choice in assessment of children born prematurely. In motor assessment GMFM appears to be more adequate than cerebral palsy (CP) diagnosis. Almost one fifth of VLBW did not reach 85% in Gross Motor Function Measurement, although only 9% of children had CP.
CONCLUSIONS: Children born with VLBW had deficits in every part of psychometric evaluation. We believe that the most useful tests in assessment VLBW patients are WeeFIM, GMFM and DTVP. Children with severe prematurity complications could require more precise evaluation.

KEY WORDS: Cognition; Premature infant; Visual perception; Psychometrics; Language tests; Psychomotor performance