Desenvolvimento das competências visuo-motoras em crianças ex pré-termo

Abstract

Preterm birth has a wide impact on children’s development. The risk of clinical and developmental problems increases as gestational age decreases. Due to its functional importance this domain deserves further research in preterm children. In this context the main goal of the present investigation is to compare the global development of visuo - motor integration, visual perception and motor coordination of children born with 32 or less weeks of gestational age with full term born children. Other goals were to assess the influence of birth weight and demographic and clinical variables (mother academic level, professional activity of mother, number of brothers and age of beginning educational activities) in the visual – motor domains of study: visual - motor integration, visual perception and motor coordination. We studied 40 preterm born children and 40 full term children age between 5 and 6 years, with Beery – Buktenica tests. There were significant differences in the three visual-motor integration domains. In the preterm group none of the demographic and clinical variables, has a significant influence in visual – motor development. Visual development is different in ex-premature children, even in the absence of cerebral lesions or developmental delays. We have shown those differences to be present at the school-entry age. These results show the importance of assessing the visuo–motor skills in follow up protocols.

Date of Award	22 Jan 2016
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Filipa Ribeiro (Supervisor)