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Catching-up: Children with developmental coordination disorder compared to healthy children before and after
Mats Niklasson1,2, Torsten Norlander1,2,3, Irene Niklasson1,2
1Center for Research and Development, Evidens University College, Göteborg, Sweden.
Insights
Sensorimotor therapy helps children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) improve sensorimotor skills. After treatment, children with DCD showed significant gains, catching up to their healthy peers.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Neuroscience
- Motor Control
Background:
- Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) affects sensorimotor maturity in children.
- Early identification and intervention are crucial for managing DCD.
- Sensorimotor deficits impact daily functioning and academic performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare sensorimotor maturity between healthy children and those with DCD.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of sensorimotor therapy in children with DCD.
- To assess the long-term impact of sensorimotor therapy on developmental outcomes.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 298 children (99 healthy, 199 with DCD) aged 8.77 years participated.
- Sensorimotor assessments were conducted before and after a 36-month intervention for the DCD group.
- The therapy included movements, stimulation techniques, and motor skill exercises.
Main Results:
- Healthy children outperformed untreated DCD children on most sensorimotor tests.
- Girls demonstrated superior proprioceptive and balance abilities.
- Following sensorimotor therapy, children with DCD showed significant improvements, achieving parity with healthy peers.
Conclusions:
- Sensorimotor therapy is effective in improving sensorimotor function in children with DCD.
- The study provides evidence for a "catching-up" phenomenon in DCD following intervention.
- This research highlights the potential for sensorimotor interventions to normalize developmental trajectories in DCD.
Abstract:
The aims of the present study were to (a) compare healthy children in terms of sensorimotor maturity to untreated children diagnosed with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) and (b) compare healthy children to diagnosed children following completed treatment with sensorimotor therapy. Participants were 298 children, 196 boys and 102 girls, distributed into a Norm group of healthy children (n = 99) and a group of children diagnosed with DCD (n = 199) with a total mean age of 8.77 years (SD = 2.88). Participants in both groups were assessed on instruments aimed to detect sensorimotor deviations. The children in the DCD group completed, during on average 36 months, sensorimotor therapy which comprised stereotypical fetal- and infant movements, vestibular stimulation, tactile stimulation, auditory stimulation, complementary play exercises, gross motor milestones, and sports-related gross motor skills. At the final visit a full assessment was once more performed. Results showed that the Norm group performed better on all sensorimotor tests as compared to the untreated children from the DCD group, with the exception of an audiometric test where both groups performed at the same level. Girls performed better on tests assessing proprioceptive and balance abilities. Results also showed, after controls for natural maturing effects, that the children from the DCD group after sensorimotor therapy did catch up with the healthy children. The concept of "catching-up" is used within developmental medicine but has not earlier been documented with regard to children and youth in connection with DCD.
