Sensory processing of infants born prematurely or with regulatory disorders
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine the differences in sensory processing among normal full-term infants, full-term infants with a regulatory disorder, and prematurely born infants. The Test of Sensory Functions in Infants (TSFI), a 24-item test designed to measure sensory processing and reactivity in infants, was administered to 329 infants, ages 7 to 18 months. The subjects included 228 infants considered normal, 45 infants with regulatory disorders, and 56 infants born prematurely. The infants with regulatory disorders had problems with sleep and eating, high irritability and sever separation anxiety. Prematurely born infants or those with a regulatory disorder scored lower than the normal infants on the TSFI. Sensory processing disorders were seen at each age for infants with regulatory disorders and those born prematurely. Infants with regulatory disorders scored lower than the prematurely born infants at 7 to 9 months in adaptive-motor skills, at 7 to 9 and 10 to 1 months in visual-tactile integration, and at 7 to 9 months in overall sensory prcessing. In contrast, the infants born prematurely scored lower than infants with regulatory disorders at 10 to 12 months in ocular-motor control and at 13 to 18 months in responses to movement in space. The results suggest that differences in sensory processing of infants with regulatory disorders are evident when compared to children born prematurely.
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In preterm and late preterm infants, sensory differences range from modest to substantial when assessed by behavioral questionnaires or interactive sensory exams.
“Sensory differences in preterm and late preterm (34–36 weeks of gestation) infants have been found to be modest to substantial, measured through both behavioral questionnaires and interactive sensory exams [11–13].”
From Sensory processing in preterm preschoolers and its association with executive function (2015) · cites this paper as [12]
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- Authors
- Wiener, A. S., Long, T., DeGangi, G. A., & Battaile, B.
- Affiliations
- University of Maryland, Baltimore (US)
- ORCID
- Long, Toby
- Venue
- Physical & Occupational Therapy In Pediatrics
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 1996-01
- Volume
- 16
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 1-18
- ISSN
- 0194-2638 (ISSN-L)
- 1541-3144
- OpenAlex
- W2008159732
- Cited by
- 28
- References
- 17
- Citations by year
- 2025: 2 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 1
- FWCI
- 0.92
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Physical & Occupational Therapy In Pediatrics (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Infant Development and Preterm Care
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Children's Physical and Motor Development
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Pharmacy › Infant Health and Development
- Keywords
- sensory processing, preterm infants, regulatory disorders, sensory processing disorders, irritability, separation anxiety, visual-tactile integration, oculomotor control, infant development
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