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Strength training for a child with suspected developmental coordination disorder
Stacy M Menz1, Kristin Hatten, Marybeth Grant-Beuttler
1Starfish Therapies, San Mateo, California 94402, USA. stacy@starfishtherapies.com
Insights
Strength training improved gross motor function and coordination in a child with developmental coordination disorder (DCD). The intervention enhanced motor skills, potentially through better feedforward control, despite no significant strength gains.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric physical therapy
- Motor control research
- Developmental disorders
Background:
- Children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) exhibit impaired feedforward motor control.
- They often employ compensatory strategies to manage motor tasks.
Observation:
- A 6-year, 11-month-old girl with apraxia, hypotonia, and motor delays consistent with DCD participated.
- She underwent 24 strength training sessions utilizing a universal exercise unit.
Findings:
- Post-intervention, significant improvements were noted in the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOT-2) and the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM).
- Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (DCD-DQ) scores improved, moving above the threshold for suspected DCD.
- No significant changes in muscle strength were observed.
Implications:
- Strength training, particularly with blocked practice of isolated movements, can enhance gross motor function and manual coordination in children with DCD.
- Improvements may stem from enhanced feedforward control and stabilization, rather than increased strength.
- This approach may not directly improve skills reliant on momentum, such as locomotion.
Background:
Children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) demonstrate difficulty with feedforward motor control and use varied compensatory strategies.
Purpose:
To examine gross motor function changes following strength training in a child with motor control difficulties.
Case Description:
A girl aged 6 years 11 months, with apraxia and hypotonia, and demonstrating motor delays consistent with DCD.
Intervention:
Twenty-four strength training sessions were completed using a universal exercise unit.
Outcomes:
Postintervention scores significantly improved on the Bruininks-Oseretsky test of motor proficiency, second edition, and the Canadian occupational performance measure scores and raised the developmental coordination disorder questionnaire, revised 2007, scores above the range where DCD is suspected. Nonsignificant changes in strength were observed.
Discussion:
Improved function and significant gains in manual coordination were observed following blocked practice of isolated, simple joint movements during strength training. Improved motor skills may be because of effective use of feedforward control and improved stabilization. Strength training does not rehearse skills using momentum, explaining nonsignificant changes in locomotor or locomotion areas.
