Predictive Value of Motor Evaluations

In a study published by Early Human Development, researchers studied the predictive values in very preterm children and small for gestational age of the Psychomotor Developmental Index (PDI) of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development and the Peabody Developmental Motor Scales (PDMS). The researchers concluded that for very low birth weight children, the PDI and PDMS were good tests to identify early motor problems. The PDMS was the best predictor for small for gestational age and term children with normal birth weight. For the children who were very preterm, small for gestational age or full term, all three tests showed that normal motor skills at ages 1 and 5 were predictive for normal motor skills at age 14.

Reference: Kari Anne I. Evensena, Jon Skranesa, Ann-Mari Brubakka and Torstein Vik (2009) Predictive value of early motor evaluation in preterm very low birth weight and term small for gestational age children Early Human Development
Volume 85, Issue 8, August 2009, Pages 511-518