Reduction in developmental coordination disorder with neonatal caffeine therapy

Abstract

Objective To determine the effect of neonatal caffeine treatment on rates of developmental coordination disorder (DCD). Study design Children in the Caffeine for Apnea of Prematurity trial were assessed for motor performance (Movement Assessment Battery for Children [MABC]), clinical signs of cerebral palsy, and Full-Scale IQ at 5 years of age by staff who were unaware of the children's treatment group. DCD was defined as MABC 69 who did not have a diagnosis of cerebral palsy. Results There were 1433 children with known MABC corrected-age percentile as well as known Full-Scale IQ at 5 years and cerebral palsy status, of whom 735 had been randomly assigned to caffeine and 698 to placebo thera..