Abstract
This study explored the use of a multisensory task to examine object permanence and sensorimotor control in preterm children. Results showed that preterm children reached Stage 6 object permanence later and had challenges with sensorimotor control.
Primary Author and Speaker: Virginia W. Chu
Additional Authors and Speakers: Jonathon Jacobs
Contributing Authors: Stacey Dusing, Robert Perera, Olivier Rolin, James Thomas
Object permanence in toddlerhood is related to executive function skills in early elementary years, which are common deficits in preterm children [1,2]. The purpose of the study is to examine object permanence and sensorimotor control in preterm toddlers. This descriptive study recruited 21 full term (7-34mo) and 14 preterm (corrected age 6-33mo) children from university hospital and surrounding communities. In task 1, children recovered a toy hidden by visual barrier (Piaget’s stage 4 object permanence) [3], typically achieved 8-12 mo. In task 2, children recovered a sticker placed on their head. We recorded frequency of search attempts and successful sticker recovery. Sticker searching shows the ability to represent absent objects without visual cue (Piaget’s stage 6 invisible displacement). Successful recovery shows sensorimotor skills to locate and recover sticker. A mixed effects logistic regression model was used to analyze search attempt and recovery success frequencies, with group and age as covariates. The estimated ages at 0.5 frequency response in each group were reported. All children completed task 1, showing stage 4 object permanence. For search attempt, group effect was not statistically significant (p=0.596). The 0.5 response age was 10.65mo for term and 13mo for preterm group. For successful recovery, the group effect was statistically significant (p=0.009). For each additional month of age, odds of successful sticker removal was 5.24 times greater in term and 1.38 times greater in preterm group. The 0.5 response ages was 17.22 mo for term and 18.63 mo for preterm group. We showed that preterm children achieved stage 6 object permanence later and demonstrated challenges with the sensorimotor task of recovering a hidden sticker. Our pilot study was limited by a small sample size that caused variability in statistical models. Successful removal of a hidden sticker shows promise to detect sensorimotor differences between term and preterm children.
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