Introduction: Head control is the first milestone in the development of an infant's motor skills, and as such represents the foundation for further motor development. Head stability is essential for maintaining balance and has a significant influence on trunk movement. The development of head control and postural control in general, is often delayed in preterm infants, due to the presence of brain damage and/or different motor experiences in the first months of their life. The delay in motor development may resolve within a few years or manifest itself in the form of neurological dysfunctions of varying severity. Purpose: To determine the presence of head control in Slovenian infants in the fourth month of life and to investigate possible differences in head control between preterm and term infants. Methods: Six preterm and six term infants were included. The Segmental Assessment of Trunk Control was used to assess head control and evaluate the presence of postural control in static, active and reactive condition. Results: When comparing the ability to control the head between preterm and term infants, we found a statistically significant difference (p = 0.014). The hypothesis was tested with Fisher's exact test, which confirmed a statistically significant difference (p = 0.030). The results of the Mann-Whitney test revealed a statistically significant difference between the head control ability of preterm and term infants in the static condition (p = 0.027), as well as in the active and reactive condition (p = 0.019). Discussion and conclusion: We found a statistically significant difference in head control between term and preterm infants (p < 0.05), with the presence of head control being more frequent in term infants. Further research in this area, would greatly benefit from repeating the study on a larger sample and testing the validity of the Segmental Assessment of Trunk Control for the assessment of head control. Understanding the delay in preterm infants’ head control allows physiotherapists to deliver earlier and more effective interventions, which can have a significant impact on infants’ long-term outcomes and improve their quality of life and that of their loved ones.
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