Joint Attention Development in Low-risk Very Low Birth Weight Infants at Around 18 Months of Age

Noriko Yamaoka; Satoshi Takada

Joint Attention Development in Low-risk Very Low Birth Weight Infants at Around 18 Months of Age

Kobe J Med Sci. 2016 Oct 18;62(4):E89-E98.

Authors

Noriko Yamaoka^{1

2}, Satoshi Takada¹

Affiliations

¹ Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kobe University, 10-7-2 Tomogaoka, Suma-ku, Kobe, 654-0142, Japan.
² Correspondence Course of Nursing, Kobe Tokiwa University, 2-6-2 Otani-cho, Nagata-ku, Kobe, 653-0838, Japan.

PMID: 28239074
PMCID: PMC5432063

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to clarify the developmental characteristics of joint attention in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants with a low risk of complications. Section B of the Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (CHAT) was administered to 31 VLBW and 45 normal birth weight (NBW) infants aged 18-22 months, while the sessions were recorded with a video camera. A semi-structured observation scale was developed to assess infants' joint attention from the video footage, and was shown to be reliable. VLBW, compared to NBW, infants showed significantly poorer skills in 2 of 4 items on responding to joint attention, and in 6 of 10 items on initiating joint attention. VLBW infants need more clues in order to produce joint attention. The difficulty was attributed to insufficient verbal and fine motor function skills. Continuous follow-up evaluation is essential for both high-risk and low-risk VLBW infants and their parents.

Keywords: Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (CHAT); Joint attention; Low risk of complications; Very low birth weight infants.

MeSH terms

Attention*
Autism Spectrum Disorder / diagnosis*
Autism Spectrum Disorder / etiology*
Autism Spectrum Disorder / psychology
Birth Weight
Case-Control Studies
Child Development
Female
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Infant, Very Low Birth Weight / psychology*
Male
Risk Factors