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Neuromotor development from 5 to 18 years. Part 1: timed performance.
R H Largo1, J A Caflisch, F Hug
1Growth and Development Centre, Department of Paediatrics, University Children's Hospital, Zürich, Switzerland. largo@kispi.unizh.ch
Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology
|July 21, 2001
Summary
This study presents centile curves for timed motor skills in children aged 5-18. Results show significant developmental changes and individual variations in motor performance during childhood and adolescence.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Motor Control
Background:
- Timed motor performance is crucial for assessing neurological development in children.
- Understanding normal developmental trajectories and variations in timed motor skills is essential for identifying potential motor dysfunctions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish centile curves for timed motor performances in non-disabled children aged 5 to 18 years.
- To describe the normal developmental course and interindividual variation in timed motor tasks.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 662 non-disabled children aged 5-18 years.
- Assessment of various timed motor tasks including finger movements, hand/foot movements, sequential movements, pegboard tasks, and balance.
- Reliability of timed measurements was assessed (intraobserver, interobserver, test-retest).
Main Results:
- Timed motor performances showed continuous improvement throughout the prepubertal period, with variations in the rate of improvement and achievement of the 'adolescent plateau' across tasks.
- Centile curves revealed substantial interindividual variation in timed performances for all assessed motor tasks.
- No clinically significant sex differences or correlations with socioeconomic status were observed.
Conclusions:
- Timed motor performances in children aged 5-18 years exhibit prolonged developmental changes and considerable interindividual variability.
- Standardized testing instruments and age-specific normative data are critical for accurate assessment of motor competence in school-aged children.