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Evaluation of Potential Developmental Precursors to Executive Function in Young Children with Motor Delays:
Andrea B Cunha1, Iryna Babik2, Regina T Harbourne3
1Munroe Meyer Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA.
Insights
Early developmental skills in children with motor delays predict future executive function (EF). Advanced early abilities in areas like fine motor and language correlate with higher EF, suggesting a supportive relationship.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Pediatric Neurology
Background:
- Motor delays in children can impact broader developmental trajectories.
- Executive function (EF) is crucial for cognitive and behavioral regulation.
- Understanding early predictors of EF in this population is important for intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between early developmental abilities and later executive function (EF) in children with motor delays.
- To identify specific early skills that may support the development of EF.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study including 14 children with motor delays.
- Evaluated object interaction and developmental outcomes (Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition - Bayley-III) at multiple time points.
- Assessed executive function (Minnesota Executive Function Scale) at 36 months post-baseline.
Main Results:
- Children with higher EF exhibited advanced early bimanual, visual-bimanual, receptive language, expressive language, and fine motor skills.
- Significant positive correlations were observed between later Bayley-III cognitive, expressive language, and fine motor scores and EF scores.
Conclusions:
- Early developmental skills, particularly in language and fine motor domains, appear to support the emergence of executive function in children with motor delays.
- These findings highlight the importance of early developmental assessments and interventions for children with motor delays to foster cognitive development.
Abstract:
This study aimed to explore whether early developmental abilities are related to future executive function (EF) in children with motor delays. Fourteen children with motor delays (Mean age = 10.76, SD = 2.55) were included from a larger study. Object interaction and developmental outcomes (Bayley-III) were evaluated at baseline and 3, 6, and 12 months post-baseline. Bayley-III and EF assessments (Minnesota Executive Function Scale) were conducted at 36 months post-baseline. Children with high EF demonstrated advanced early bimanual, visual-bimanual, receptive language, expressive language, and fine motor skills compared to children with low EF. Significant positive correlations between later Bayley-III and EF scores were found for cognitive, expressive language, and fine motor scores. These preliminary results suggest that early developmental skills support the emergence of EF in children with motor delays.
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