Influence of late prematurity on proximal adjustments of reaching behavior at reaching onset

• Grant number: 12/23307-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: March 01, 2013
• End date: December 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy
• Principal Investigator: Eloisa Tudella
• Grantee: Fernanda Botta Tarallo
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde (CCBS). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

By expanding the ability to explore and manipulate objects, the reaching behavior marks the phase of the emergence of voluntary motor development in infancy. In the literature, no studies have investigated which proximal adjustments are performed at reaching onset in late preterm infants. Objective: Comparing the proximal adjustments of reaching behavior between preterm and full-term infants immediately after reaching onset. Methodology: Twelve late preterm infants and 12 healthy full-term infants participated in this study. The infants will be evaluated up to 5 days after reaching onset. The infants will be positioned in a baby chair reclined 45º with the horizontal axis. A malleable and attractive object will be presented at the infant's midline, xiphoid process's height, within reaching distance, for 2 minutes to elicit reaches. The evaluations will be recorded by 4 digital video cameras and the images will be analyzed using the Dvideow® system. The following variables will be considered: frequency of unimanual reaches and frequency of bimanual reaches. Expected results: This study is expected to facilitate the understanding of the development and the motor control of early manual reaching in late preterm infants, thus allowing to provide information that may guide the prevention and intervention of neuro-sensorimotor dysfunctions associated with late prematurity.(AU)