CEREBRAL PALSY AND NEURODEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES AND ACCURACY OF GENERAL MOVEMENTS IN PRETERM SUBJECTS AND TIME OF FIDGETY MOVEMENT IN PRETERM BABIES

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Background: Prior to being released from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), it is imperative that patients have a neurological evaluation. This will enable prompt assessment and focused management aimed at reducing the likelihood and severity of neurodevelopmental disabilities and cerebral palsy.

Aim: In order to predict cerebral palsy and neurodevelopmental disabilities in preterm babies of gestational age < 32 weeks at the corrected gestational age of 18–24 months, the current study evaluated the accuracy of general movements in preterm subjects and time of fidgety movement.

Methods: General movements were examined in a preterm period of 31-36 weeks after the post-conception age, and fidgety movements were assessed in 8-18 weeks post-term in 85 extremely preterm newborns with a mean birth weight of 1213±224 grammes and gestational age of 29.6±1.34 weeks. Griffiths Mental Developmental Scales were used to assess the Neurodevelopmental outcomes in 64 child subjects.

Results: In five of the kid participants, neurodevelopmental impairment was seen. Four patients exhibited global developmental delays, and one person had cerebral palsy. The relative risk of neurodevelopmental impairment was observed to be 1.44 (0.33-6.87) at 95% CI and 6.05 (0.95-38.07) with fidgety movements and preterm movements. During the fidgety movement phase, the specificity and sensitivity values were 93% and 100%, respectively, whereas in the preterm period, they were 63% and 50%.

Conclusion: The current study reveals that in the latter phases of neurodevelopmental impairment and cerebral palsy prediction in preterm babies, poorer specificity and sensitivity were seen in the preterm movements compared to the fidgety movements.