Minor neurological dysfunction in children with developmental coordination disorder

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Developmental Pediatrics
• Child Psychology

Background:

• Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) affects motor skills and can be associated with neurological and behavioral issues.
• Minor Neurological Dysfunction (MND) is common in DCD, but its prevalence across subtypes and relation to behavioral problems requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence and types of Minor Neurological Dysfunction (MND) in children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD).
• To examine the relationship between MND subtypes and behavioral-emotional problems in children with DCD.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective medical record study involving 88 children diagnosed with DCD.
• Neurological functioning assessed using a neurological examination focusing on MND.
• Movement Assessment Battery for Children, Second Edition used for motor skills evaluation.
• Child Behavior Checklist and Teacher Report Form used to assess behavioral-emotional problems.

Main Results:

• 97% of children with DCD exhibited MND (36% simple MND, 61% complex MND).
• Children with DCD showed higher prevalence of dysfunctions in posture, muscle tone, coordination, balance, fine manipulation, and associated movements compared to controls.
• No significant differences in MND prevalence were found across DCD subtypes.
• Behavioral-emotional problems did not differ between children with simple versus complex MND.

Conclusions:

• The high prevalence of MND in DCD underscores the necessity of routine neurological examinations.
• Identifying MND in DCD provides critical insights into underlying dysfunctional neural circuits.
• Further research may explore targeted interventions based on neurological findings in DCD.