Abstract
Development of repetitive, alternating and sequential movements was studied longitudinally in 276 term and preterm children. Speed, quality of motor performance and amount and type of associated movements were recorded for 11 motor tasks (methods according to Denckla DMCN 15, 1973; Wolff DMCN 25, 1983). Results were as follows: 1) Age-related improvement of timed performances and of quality of performance and decrease of associated movements; 2) Superior performance of the dominant extremity in 9 of 11 tasks, exceptions being alternating heel- toe tapping and sequential finger-thumb opposition; 3) Left banders tended to perform less well than right handers in the preterm group only; 4) Girls outperformed boys on speed, quality and amount of associated movements; 5) Performances of neurologically unimpaired preterm children were comparable to those of term children (age corrected for prematurity); 6) Impact of cerebral palsy decreased with maturation of motor functions.
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Largo, R., Riederer, M., Molinari, L. et al. 42 NEUROLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT AT AGE 7–10: SIGNIFICANCE OF CHRONOLOGICAL AGE, HANDEDNSS, SEX, PREMATURITY AND CEREBRAL PALSY. Pediatr Res 30, 635 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199112000-00072
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199112000-00072