Formation of postural control in infants of the first year of life with impaired motor development, born at different gestation periods

Abstract

   The postural control development is a complex physiological process, which is the basis for the development of motor functions. Approaches to the assessment of postural control and the features of its formation in infants of the first year of life have not been studied enough.   Purpose. To reveal the features of postural control development in infants of the first year of life with the consequences of perinatal lesions of the central nervous system in the form of impaired motor development, born at different gestational ages.   Material and methods. We examined 120 infants of the first year of life with impaired motor development and 16 infants without neurological pathology. Infants with impaired motor development were divided into 4 subgroups: 1 (n = 30) — full-term, 2 (n = 30) — very preterm, 3 (n = 30) — moderately preterm, 4 (n = 30) — late premature children depending on their gestational age at birth. The examination was conducted at 3–4 months of calendar age in full-term and corrected in premature infants and included an assessment of the neurological status, a clinical assessment of postural control, and computer stabilometry.   Results. Violation of postural control was found in infants of the first year of life with the consequences of perinatal lesions of the central nervous system in the form of impaired motor development, born at different gestational ages. These postural disorders may be associated with changes in muscle tone and impaired sensorimotor integration.   Conclusion. Further research will enable the development of objective criteria for diagnosing postural disorders in infants of the first year of life, depending on the gestational age at birth. This will contribute to the timely start of treatment and rehabilitation measures, reducing the frequency and severity of disabling consequences of perinatal lesions of the central nervous system.