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Published on: December 7, 2018
Comparing fine motor performance among young children with autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability,
Ling-Yi Lin1,2, I-Ting Hwang1, Chia-Fen Hsu1
1Department of Occupational Therapy, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
Insights
Fine motor skills in young children vary significantly by disability type. Children with intellectual disability, comorbidity, or motor dysfunction showed greater challenges compared to those with autism spectrum disorder or ADHD. Cognitive ability strongly influences fine motor performance across all diagnoses.
Area of Science:
- Developmental psychology
- Pediatric neurology
- Motor development
Background:
- Fine motor skill acquisition is a critical developmental milestone in early childhood.
- Understanding variations in fine motor performance among children with different disabilities is essential for targeted interventions.
- Early identification and support for developmental delays are crucial for long-term outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate and compare the fine motor performance of young children (under 6 years) with diverse disability diagnoses.
- To identify specific areas of fine motor difficulty in relation to different developmental disorders.
- To explore the association between fine motor skills and cognitive abilities in this population.
Main Methods:
- A sample of 1,897 young children at risk for developmental delays was assessed using standardized tools like the Bayley Scales and Peabody Developmental Motor Scales.
- Retrospective chart reviews identified specific diagnoses including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), intellectual disability (ID), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and motor dysfunction.
- Data were analyzed to compare fine motor performance across diagnostic groups and to examine correlations with cognitive function.
Main Results:
- Children with intellectual disability (ID), comorbidity, and motor dysfunction exhibited significantly lower performance in manual dexterity and visual motor integration compared to children with ASD, ADHD, and unspecified developmental delays (DD).
- Fine motor performance was positively associated with cognitive ability across all disability types, indicating that higher cognitive function correlated with better fine motor skills.
- Significant differences in fine motor skills were observed based on the specific disability diagnosis.
Conclusions:
- Fine motor skill performance varies considerably among young children depending on their specific disability diagnosis.
- A strong and consistent link exists between fine motor abilities and cognitive capacity in children under six, irrespective of their disability.
- These findings underscore the importance of considering both motor and cognitive development in early childhood assessments and interventions.
Objective:
The acquisition of fine motor skills is considered to be a crucial developmental milestone throughout early childhood. This study aimed to investigate the fine motor performance of young children with different disability diagnoses.
Methods:
We enrolled a sample of 1,897 young children under the age of 6 years who were at risk of developmental delays and were identified by a transdisciplinary team. A series of standardized developmental assessments included the Bayley Scales of Infant Development-Third Edition, Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence-Fourth Edition, Peabody Developmental Motor Scale-Second Edition, and Movement Assessment Battery for Children-Second Edition were used. Retrospective chart reviews were conducted on all children to identify specific developmental disorders. The number of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), intellectual disability (ID), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), comorbidity, motor dysfunction, and unspecified developmental delays (DD) were 363 (19.1%), 223 (11.8%), 234 (12.3%), 285 (15.0%), 128 (6.7%), and 590 (31.1%), respectively.
Results:
Young children with ID, comorbidity, and motor dysfunction demonstrated significant difficulty in performing manual dexterity and visual motor integration tasks and scored significantly lower in these areas than children with ASD, ADHD, and unspecified DD. In addition, fine motor performance was associated with cognitive ability in children with different disability diagnoses, indicating that young children showed better fine motor performance when they demonstrated better cognitive ability.
Conclusion:
Our findings support that differences in fine motor performance differ by disability type. Close links between fine motor performance and cognitive ability in children under the age of 6 years were seen in all disability types.
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