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Cumulative Prenatal Risk Factors and Developmental Coordination Disorder in Young Children

Stephanie Babij1, Maeghan E James1, Scott Veldhuizen1,2

  • 1Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.

Maternal and Child Health Journal
|November 15, 2023
PubMed

Insights

The number of prenatal risk factors (RFs) significantly increases the likelihood of Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) in young children. This highlights the importance of understanding cumulative prenatal exposures for DCD prevention.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Health
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Background:

  • Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) affects motor skills in children.
  • Prenatal risk factors (RFs) are suspected contributors to DCD.
  • The cumulative impact of multiple RFs requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between cumulative prenatal risk factors and DCD in young children.
  • To determine if a higher number of prenatal RFs correlates with an increased risk of DCD.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from 589 children (aged ~4.5 years) in the CATCH cohort study.
  • Assessed motor coordination using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2nd Edition.
  • Employed logistic regression to analyze the effect of prenatal RFs on DCD risk.

Main Results:

  • A greater number of prenatal risk factors significantly elevated the odds of a child being at risk for DCD (DCDr).
  • The association remained significant after adjusting for maternal age, child's sex and age, marital status, and income (OR=1.48, p<0.01).

Conclusions:

  • Cumulative prenatal risk factors are linked to an increased likelihood of DCD in children.
  • Further research is needed to explore specific combinations of RFs and their impact on DCD.
  • Findings offer insights into potential causes and prevention strategies for DCD.
Abstract

Keywords:
DCDMaternal healthPrenatal healthPrenatal risk factors

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