Effects of COVID-19 related physical inactivity on motor skills in children with intellectual disability
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Parisa Sedaghati1, Esmail Balayi2, Somayeh Ahmadabadi3
1Sports Injuries and Corrective Exercise, Faculty of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran. sedaghati@guilan.ac.ir.
Insights
Physical inactivity during COVID-19 restrictions negatively impacted motor skills in children with intellectual disabilities (ID). Active children with ID maintained better gross and fine motor skills compared to inactive peers.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Developmental Psychology
- Sports Science
Background:
- Children with intellectual disabilities (ID) are susceptible to motor skill decline, particularly during periods of reduced physical activity.
- COVID-19 restrictions led to widespread physical inactivity, raising concerns about its impact on vulnerable populations like children with ID.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the effects of COVID-19-related physical inactivity on the motor skills of active versus inactive children with intellectual disabilities.
- To identify specific motor skill domains affected by reduced physical activity in this cohort.
Main Methods:
- A prospective cohort study involving 30 boys with intellectual disabilities, categorized as active or inactive.
- Utilized standardized assessments including the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test-Short Form, Y-Test, Timed Up and Go (TUG), and BESS test to evaluate motor skills.
Main Results:
- Significant differences were observed between active and inactive groups in gross motor skills (P=0.001), fine motor skills (P=0.002), overall motor skills (P=0.001), postural control (P=0.01), and dynamic balance (P=0.01).
- Inactive children with ID demonstrated poorer performance across all assessed motor skill domains.
Conclusions:
- One year of movement restriction significantly impacted gross and fine motor skills in children with intellectual disabilities, with greater deficits in inactive children.
- Interventions promoting physical activity are crucial for children with ID to mitigate sedentary behavior risks, including obesity and chronic diseases.
Background:
Children with intellectual disabilities (ID) may show declines in motor skills during the Covid-19 restrictions. This study compared the effects of physical inactivity due to COVID-19 on the motor skills of active and inactive children with ID.
Method:
In this prospective cohort study, 30 boys with ID were divided into two groups based on study inclusion criteria (mean age 10.86 ± 1.81 active, 10.20 ± 1.42 inactive). The BESS test, the Y test, the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, and the Bruininks-Oseretsky test-short form were used.
Results:
Results showed a significant difference between active and inactive groups in the total score of gross motor skills (P = 0.001), fine motor skills (P = 0.002), motor skills (P = 0.001), postural control (P = 0.01), and dynamic balance (P = 0.01).
Conclusions:
The results showed a significant difference between active and inactive children with ID in terms of gross and fine motor skills after a one-year movement restriction. Therefore, considering the tendency to be sedentary among these people and the subsequent complications caused by this inactivity, including obesity and chronic diseases, it is suggested that parents and educators design practical and numerous exercises and encourage them to be more active and participate in physical activity programs.
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