Effectiveness of Vojta Therapy in Motor Development of Preterm Children

Premature children constitute a heterogeneous group regarding gestational age, determinants and causes of their premature birth, illnesses that occur during the neonatal period and the socio-economic status of the family. These constraints could cause an increase in the risk of development in this group of children, as well as motor abnormalities, when compared to the population of infants born at full term.

Cerebral Palsy (CP), for example, is the most common neurological disorder in this group of children. So many studies showed the association between CP and prematurity. They have pointed out that the probability of premature infants having CP is eight times higher compared to full-term infants.

Apart from CP other minor motor abnormalities are also present in the range of consequences for the preterm children.

Therefore, if the increase is considered in children born prematurely who survive, on account of developments in neonatal care, and that the frequency of appearance of motor sequel described in them remains constant, it is of crucial importance from social, economic and health aspects to implement strategies to improve outcomes for these children. In this regard, the development of physiotherapy treatments aimed at preterm infants is essential from a prevention and intervention point of view.

At the Region of Murcia/Spain, when one child is born preterm is directed from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), where there has already been established a protocol for immediate referral among hospitals to early intervention services, where an interdisciplinary team develops an individualized and comprehensive intervention plan according to the characteristics and conditions of each child and, from the motor point of view, the physiotherapist team will be the one who determines the most appropriate action to be taken.