EARLY POSTURAL CONTROL OF PRETERM INFANTS DURING THE FIRST SIX MONTHS AFTER TERM AGE: COMPARISON WITH FULLTERM INFANTS

Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate the development of early postural control in healthy preterm infants (PT) during the first six months of after term age and to compare it with healthy fullterm infants (FT). Methods: A longitudinal study was carried out with a group of 12 infants born with gestational age below 32 weeks (PT1); a group of 12 infants with gestational age between 32 and 36 weeks (PT2), and a group of 12 infants born with gestational age between 38 and 41 weeks. The Chailey Levels of Ability assessment was used to evaluate the supine, prone, sitting and standing positions, observing the positions and movements of the body segments, the relationship among them, and the weight bearing. Evaluations took place at 15 days, 1st., 2nd., 3rd., 4th., 5th. and 6th. month of age; the gestational age of the PT infant was corrected for 40 weeks. Results: No differences were detected among the groups in the supine, prone and sitting positions. There was significant difference (p