Motor-related health care for 5-year-old children born extremely preterm with movement impairments.
Aim
To (1) determine the proportion of 5-year-old children born extremely preterm (EPT) with movement difficulties including cerebral palsy (CP) and the proportion of these children receiving motor-related health care (MRHC), and (2) describe factors associated with receiving MRHC.
Method
Children born before 28 weeks’ gestation in 2011 to 2012 in 11 European countries were assessed with the Movement Assessment Battery for Children, Second Edition (MABC-2) at 5 years of age. Information on family characteristics, child health including CP diagnosis, and health care use were collected using parent-report questionnaires. MRHC was defined as visits in the previous year with health care providers (physical and occupational therapists) specialized in assessing/treating motor problems. We analysed receipt of MRHC and associated factors among children at risk of movement difficulties (MABC-2 score 6th–15th centiles), with significant movement difficulties (SMD; ≤5th centile) or with CP.
Results
Of 807 children assessed at 5 years 7 months (SD 4 months; 4 years 7 months–7 years 1 month), 412 were males (51.1%), 170 (21.1%) were at risk of movement difficulties, 201 (24.9%) had SMD, and 92 (11.4%) had CP. Those who received MRHC comprised 89.1% of children with CP, 42.8% with SMD, and 25.9% at risk of movement difficulties. MRHC for children with SMD varied from 23.3% to 66.7% between countries. Children were more likely to receive MRHC if they had other developmental problems or socioemotional, conduct, or attention difficulties.
Interpretation
Efforts are needed to increase MRHC for 5-year-old children born EPT with movement difficulties.
Funding
European Social Fund. Grant Number: SFRH/BPD/117597/2016
Medicinska Forskningsrådet. Grant Number: 2017-03043
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia. Grant Numbers: SFRH/BPD/117597/2016, UIDB/04750/2020
Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education
French National Institute of Public Health Research
regional agreement on medical training and clinical research between Stockholm County Council and Karolinska Institutet. Grant Number: ALF SLL 20170243
Horizon 2020 Framework Programme. Grant Number: 633724
PremUp Foundation
Seventh Framework Programme. Grant Number: 259882
National Research Agency through the French EQUIPEX program of investments for the future. Grant Number: ANR-11-EQPX-0038
History
Citation
Developmental medicine and child neurology, 2022, https://doi.org/10.1111/dmcn.15202Author affiliation
Department of Health Sciences, University of LeicesterVersion
- AM (Accepted Manuscript)