The role of fine motor skills in the assessment of early psychomotor development of children
Abstract
Introduction. Motor activity is a primary form of behavior and emerges in the fourth week of gestation as neurofibrillation of primary efferent myoblasts. Fine motor skills are particularly important in the study of child development, as they support a significant portion of highly organized functions (manipulative activity, self-care, work and creative skills, etc.) and are closely linked to speech development. The aim of the study was to determine the state of fine motor skills within the structure of other neurological functions in children at low perinatal risk. Materials and methods. This article presents the results of our own study design for assessing fine and gross motor skills in 3- to 4-year-old children at low neurological risk. In assessing fine motor skills, particular attention is paid to assessing handgrip. Thirty-one children (24 boys and 8 girls) aged 31 to 56 months (median 43.5 months) were examined. Results. All children with low perinatal risk aged approximately 3.5 years, generally considered “neurologically healthy”, exhibit abnormalities in at least one neurological indicator. Postural regulation abnormalities are significantly less common than coordination and gross motor skills (χ2=5.31; p=0.02). The most frequently observed gross motor skills abnormalities were sitting up from a supine position, trunk coordination (response to a push while sitting), and changes in passive muscle tone. Fine motor skills assessments significantly more frequently revealed handgrip abnormalities than hand coordination abnormalities (χ2=10.53; p=0.0012). Relationships were found between the studied parameters and speech development characteristics: the timing of phrasal speech development was positively associated with deviations in muscle tone and trunk coordination (r=0.55–0.6) and negatively with the volume of phrasal speech (r=–0.72). The volume of phrasal speech was negatively associated with changes in passive muscle tone, trunk coordination (pushing while sitting and standing), and grip type (r=–0.39 to –0.62). Conclusion. Based on the results of the examination of 31 children at low perinatal risk, assessed as "neurologically healthy," 20 children were found to be at risk for developing cognitive and behavioral disorders in adolescence. It is recommended to include the study of hand grip type in the neurological examination of preschoolers.
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