OBJECTIVE: To characterize the environmental factors and the acquisition of cervical control by preterm infants, from newborn to 4 months of corrected age, in the prone and sitting positions. METHODOLOGY: The study included 18 infants, 9 preterm (33 weeks ± 2 weeks) and 9 term (39 weeks ± 1 week). We applied the Test of Infant Motor Performance (TIMP) to evaluate infants' cervical control and a questionnaire to the mothers every month. RESULTS: No significant differences in the cervical control development were found between the groups over the months, but the term infants had a high TIMP score in comparison with the preterm group in items 32, 35 and 36 in newborn age. CONCLUSION: It's suggested that the difference in score at the age of newborn between the groups may be related to the both organic changes, that preterm has, such as the environmental factors.
Motor development; Postures; Prematurity
