Do Children with Co-Occurring ADHD and DCD Differ in Motor Performance?

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Neurology
• Developmental Psychology
• Motor Control

Background:

• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) involves inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity.
• Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is characterized by difficulties in motor skill acquisition and execution.
• Understanding motor differences in ADHD and co-occurring DCD is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To differentiate motor symptoms between children with ADHD and those with comorbid ADHD and DCD.
• To investigate the impact of DCD on the motor performance of children diagnosed with ADHD.
• To assess the prevalence of motor development delays in these pediatric groups.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study involving 283 elementary school children.
• Screening for ADHD and identification of 27 participants.
• Utilized Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham-IV Questionnaire (SNAP-IV), Movement Assessment Battery for Children (MABC-2), and Motor Development Scale (MDS).

Main Results:

• Significant differences in general motor age means between ADHD (n=14) and ADHD/DCD (n=13) groups (p=0.016).
• The ADHD/DCD group exhibited inferior motor performance, particularly in fine motor skills (p=0.018) and balance (p=0.033).
• Both groups showed mild to moderate risk for motor development delay, suggesting ADHD alone is linked to motor issues.

Conclusions:

• Co-occurrence of DCD significantly impairs motor performance in children with ADHD.
• Fine motor skills and balance are particularly affected by comorbid DCD.
• ADHD is associated with motor challenges, irrespective of DCD, highlighting the need for comprehensive motor assessments.