General movements in infants with neurological risk: Associations with motor development and referral patterns for brain magnetic resonance imaging

Abstract

The main goal of this study was to determine the associations between the quality of presentation of GM, motor development, and brain integrity as seen through magnetic resonance imaging. Methods: This is an observational, descriptive, and association study; information derived from it was used to analyze associations between the following variables: Writhing Movements, Fidgety Movements, motor development, and brain integrity. With a confidence level of 95% and an estimation error of 5%, the sample was comprised of 60 children under 5 months old with any neurological risk criteria; these children were either hospitalized in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) or attending the Kangaroo Mother Care Program (KMCP) at the University Hospital of La Samaritana (UHS), Colombia. The data were analyzed using Fisher’s exact test. Results: Over 90% of children with Absent or Sporadic Fidgety Movements had either abnormal or suspicious motor development. We observed a trend of association between the absence of Fidget Movements and alterations in White Matter. Conclusions: Quality of presentation of General Movements is associated with motor development and alterations of brain tissue at an early age, primarily in the White Matter; it is important for early prediction of neurological risk in infants.