Abstract
Objective
Infants with congenital muscular torticollis (CMT) are at risk of delay in achieving their motor milestones. The aim of this study was to investigate if CMT or time in a prone position as an infant had any influence on motor development at preschool age.
Design
A case control study.
Participants
Eighty-one children who had participated in a previous study investigating motor development in infants with CMT and a control group of infants without CMT.
Method
A follow-up at the age of 3.5 to 5 years, the Movement Assessment Battery for Children was used with the earlier CMT group and the control group to assess their motor development. An independent physiotherapist, who was blinded of the children’s previous group belonging, assessed the children
Main Outcome Measurements
percentile scores of motor development.
Results
Multiple regression showed no impact on earlier group belonging or the amount of time spent in prone as an infant. The left-handed children had a significantly (p < .01) lower percentile in the Movement ABC.
Conclusions
Neither CMT nor spending limited periods of time in prone when awake as an infant have any significant long-term effects on motor development.
Key words: Motor development, torticollis, preschoolers