Sitting postural control in infants with typical development, motor delay, or cerebral palsy

Purpose: To determine whether infants born full-term, infants born preterm with motor delays, and infants born preterm who have a diagnosis of cerebral palsy (CP) differed in postural control at the emergence of early sitting. Methods: Thirty infants born at term who were developing typically, 6 infants born preterm who were later diagnosed with CP, and 5 infants born preterm who were delayed in motor development participated in this study. Center-of-pressure data from unsupported sitting were recorded and analyzed using measures of both amount and temporal organization of center-of-pressure variability. Results: Infants born full-term, infants born preterm with motor delays, and infants born preterm who have a diagnosis of CP exhibited dissimilar movement-control strategies at the onset of sitting. Conclusions: The present findings may be helpful in directing and testing intervention protocols for infants born preterm.