An investigation of motor development and sensory processing skills in infants with a history of hyperbilirubinemia

Background: Hyperbilirubinemia is a clinical picture frequently occurring in the neonatal period and may negatively affect the development of infants. Aims: To evaluate term infants with hyperbilirubinemia in terms of both motor development and sensory processing skills and to compare them with their healthy peers without hyperbilirubinemia. Study design: A cross-sectional study. Subjects: Children born at term, aged 10-18 months, with and without a history of hyperbilirubinemia were included in the study. Outcome measures: After demographic information was recorded, motor development was evaluated with the Peabody Motor Development Scale-2 and sensory processing skills were evaluated with the Test of Sensory Function in Infant. Results: A total of 42 children (mean +/- SD age of the children 13.07 +/- 1.47 months, 22 with hyperbilirubinemia and 20 without hyperbilirubinemia) were included in the study. A statistically significant difference was found in the gross motor (p = 0.02), fine motor (p = 0.03), and total motor (p = 0.017) development scores of the Peabody Motor Development Scale-2 and in the adaptive motor functions (p = 0.004), visual tactile integration (p < 0.001), and total scores (p = 0.004) of The Test of Sensory Function in Infant in favor of the control group. Conclusions: The motor and sensory processing skills of children born at term with hyperbilirubinemia may be negatively affected. Infants with hyperbilirubinemia should be evaluated from the early period not only in terms of motor but also sensory processing skills and should be supported with appropriate intervention programs.