Temperament of premature infants with cerebral palsy

J Phys Ther Sci. 2015 Mar;27(3):883-5. doi: 10.1589/jpts.27.883. Epub 2015 Mar 31.

Abstract

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to examine the infant temperaments of children with cerebral palsy due to premature birth. [Subjects and Methods] Data were collected through questionnaires sent to 118 mothers of infants diagnosed with cerebral palsy due to premature birth. [Results] Different infant temperament scores were obtained according to the degrees of disability, type of palsy, birth weights, gestational age, and periods of hospitalization in an NICU; however, the differences were not statistically significant. [Conclusion] Additional comprehensive studies are necessary in order to understand the infant temperaments of newborns with cerebral palsy due to premature birth, as a prerequisite to providing efficient intervention programs supporting the children's development and growth, and to verify statistical significance.

Keywords: Cerebral palsy; Infant temperament; Premature birth.