Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

Children underwent motor and sensory testing during each of 3 consecutive years beginning at kindergarten entrance. Children were assigned to either a motor-normal or motor-delayed group based on results from testing during the 1st year of the study. Motor-normal subjects (n = 17) had standard scores on a global motor-sensory test that fell within one standard deviation of the mean. Motor-delayed subjects (n = 12) had a global motor-sensory test standard score indicating greater than one standard deviation of motor delay and, in addition, were delayed by a minimum of one standard deviation on four of five of the motor-sensory test subtests. At the conclusion of the 3-year study, the mean standard score of the motor-delayed group remained greater than one standard deviation below the performance of the motor-normal group as measured by the global motor-sensory test. Statistical analysis using repeated measures analysis of variance indicated that the motor-delayed group made gains but did not close the gap between themselves and the motor-normal group during the 3-year study. Group x time interaction effects showed that during the study, significant gain was made by the motor-delayed group on the motor coordination subtest of the motor-sensory test. The study supports the conclusion that motor-delayed children without early intervention fail to outgrow their motor delays by age 8 years. (J Child Neurol 1993;8:323-329).

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

The International Classification of Diseases, 9th Rev. Washington, DC, US Department of Health and Human Services, 1989.

Gillberg IC , Gillberg C. , Groth J. : Children with preschool minor neurodevelopmental disorders. V: Neurodevelopmental profiles at age 13. Dev Med Child Neurol 1989 ;31:14-24.

American Psychiatric Association : Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 3rd ed, revised. Washington, DC, American Psychiatric Association, 1987, pp 48-49.

Knuckey NW , Gubbay SS : Clumsy children: A prognostic study. Aust Paediatr J 1983;19:9-13.

Taft LT , Barowsky EI : Clumsy child. Pediatr Rev 1989;10:247-253.

Committee on Children With Disabilities : School-aged children with motor disabilities. Pediatrics 1985;76:648-649.

Shonkoff JP : Point-counterpoint. Pediatr Rev 1990 ;11:261.

Deuel RK , Robinson DJ : Developmental motor signs, in Tupper DE (ed): Soft Neurological Signs. Orlando, Grune & Stratton, 1987, pp 95-129.

Accardo PJ , Blondis TA , Roizen NJ , Whitman BY : The physical examination of the child with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, in Accardo PJ , Blondis TA , Whitman BY (eds): Attention Deficit Disorders and Hyperactivity in Children. New York, Marcel Dekker, 1991, pp 121-139.

10.

Losse A. , Henderson SE , Elliman D. , et al: Clumsiness in children-do they grow out of it? A 10-year follow-up study. Dev Med Child Neurol 1991;33:55-68.

11.

Denckla MB : Development of motor co-ordination in normal children. Dev Med Child Neurol 1974;16:729-741.

12.

Touwen Bcl , Prechtl Hfr : The Neurological Examination of the Child With Minor Nervous Dysfunction. Clinics in Developmental Medicine, No. 38. London, SIMP with Heinemann Medical, 1970.

13.

Snow JH , Blondis TA , Brady L. : Motor and sensory abilities with normal and academically at-risk children . Arch Clin Neuropsychol 1988;3:227-238.

14.

Blondis TA , Snow JH , Accardo PJ : Integration of soft signs in academically normal and academically at-risk children. Pediatrics 1990;85:421-426.

15.

Stokman CJ , Shafer SQ , Shaffer D. , et al: Assessment of neurological 'soft signs' in adolescents: Reliability studies. Dev Med Child Neurol 1986;28:428-439.

16.

Snow JH , Blondis TA , Accardo PJ , et al: Longitudinal assessment of motor and sensory skills in academically disabled and control children. Arch Clin Neuropsychol 1993;8:55-68.

17.

Lazarus Jac , Todor JI : The role of attention in the regulation of associated movement in children. Dev Med Child Neurol 1991;33:32-39.

18.

Humphries T. , Wright M. , Snider L. , McDougall B. : A comparison of the effectiveness of sensory integrative therapy and perceptual-motor training in treating children with learning disabilities. J Dev Behav Pediatr 1992;13:31-40.

19.

Harter S. , Pike R. : The pictorial scale of perceived competence and social acceptance for young children. Child Dev 1984;55: 1969-1982.

Early Maturation of Motor-Delayed Children at School Age

Abstract

Get full access to this article

References