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[Auditory reaction time, a maturation index in the athletic child?]
Pediatrie
|July 1, 1985
Summary
Auditive reaction time (A.R.T.) in children decreases with age, reflecting central nervous system maturation. This sensorimotor quality is more closely linked to chronological age than bone age, impacting sports aptitude assessments.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Sports Medicine
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Auditive reaction time (A.R.T.) is a key indicator of sensorimotor function.
- A.R.T. is used in evaluating the physical aptitude of athletes.
- A.R.T. is known to decrease with chronological age up to puberty.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between A.R.T. and chronological age in children.
- To explore the correlation between A.R.T. and bone age in athletes with delayed maturation.
- To determine if A.R.T. can serve as an index for somatic development and maturation in children.
Main Methods:
- Regular A.R.T. measurements in control children and child athletes.
- Plotting A.R.T. against chronological age to generate developmental curves.
- Comparing correlations between A.R.T. and chronological age versus A.R.T. and bone age.
Main Results:
- A.R.T. curves showed a non-linear, decreasing asymptotic relationship with chronological age.
- Some athletes, like gymnasts and ice-skaters, exhibited delayed skeletal maturation.
- A.R.T. demonstrated a stronger correlation with chronological age than with bone age.
Conclusions:
- Chronological age, reflecting lifespan and psychomotor experience, is a better correlate of A.R.T. than bone age.
- Maturation is a complex, non-homogeneous process.
- A.R.T. is a valuable measure for assessing sensorimotor development and psychomotor experience in children, but less so for biological maturation in cases of delayed skeletal development.