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Published on: March 14, 2017
Visual Motor Integration in Children With Sickle Cell Disease
Robert F Newby1, Amanda Epping1, Jennifer A Geiger2
1Medical College of Wisconsin/Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI.
Insights
Children with sickle cell disease (SCD) have normal fine motor skills but impaired visual motor integration (VMI). This impacts early academic activities, highlighting the need for targeted support.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Children with sickle cell disease (SCD) often exhibit cognitive and academic challenges.
- Visual motor integration (VMI) is crucial for academic success.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare VMI skills in children with SCD versus healthy siblings.
- To investigate the impact of SCD on fine motor functioning.
Main Methods:
- 105 participants (67 with SCD, 38 controls) were assessed.
- Grooved Pegboard Test for manual dexterity.
- Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of VMI for graphomotor skills.
Main Results:
- Children with SCD showed average manual dexterity and speed.
- Graphomotor skills (VMI) were significantly impaired in children with SCD (P=0.04).
- No significant difference in manual dexterity and speed between SCD patients and controls (P=0.617).
Conclusions:
- Children with SCD possess average basic fine motor skills but impaired VMI.
- Impaired VMI in SCD may affect early academic performance.
- Further research into VMI deficits in SCD is warranted.
Background:
Children with sickle cell disease (SCD) demonstrate deficits in cognitive and academic functioning. This study compared the visual motor integration (VMI) skills of children with SCD to non-SCD sibling controls.
Procedure:
In total, 105 participants (67 patients with SCD, 38 controls) were recruited during a routine clinic visit. Each participant was administered the Grooved Pegboard Test, a test of manual dexterity and the Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of VMI, a measure of graphomotor skills.
Results:
Children with SCD demonstrated average (M=89.61, SE=3.08) fine manual dexterity and speed, but more complex fine motor functioning (graphomotor skills) (M=77.61, SE=1.65) was impaired. Relative to healthy siblings, children with SCD were not found to have different fine manual dexterity and speed (P=0.617). Patients with SCD were found to have significantly worse graphomotor skills (P=0.04).
Conclusions:
Children with SCD were found to have average basic fine motor dexterity and speed, but impaired VMI, a more complex fine motor skill. This finding is significant given the functional importance of complex fine motor skills in early academic activities.
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