| Abstract | BACKGROUND: Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is a movement skill disorder which impacts upon a child's ability to perform age-appropriate self-care and academic tasks. DCD is commonly comorbid with speech/language learning disabilities. AIM: The present study was conducted to determine whether children who had been identified with speech/language delays as toddlers demonstrated characteristics of DCD and/or speech/language problems at kindergarten age. RESULTS: Speech/language and motor assessments who were followed up at 63-80 months of age. Of the 40 children, 18 showed evidence of significant motor impairment and two-thirds of these met diagnostic criteria for DCD at follow-up. Twelve children were identified as having persistent speech/language problems and, of these, nine presented with significant motor co-ordination difficulties. Parental report of gross motor and fine motor problems at follow-up correlated highly with actual motor impairment scores. CONCLUSIONS: Young children who are in early intervention programmes for speech/language delays may have significant co-ordination difficulties that will become more evident at kindergarten age when motor deficits begin to impact self-care and academic tasks. Clinical implications for early recognition of motor issues by speech/language pathologists and the potential use of parental reporting tools are addressed. |
| Authors | R Gaines, C Missiuna
(Affiliation: Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, 401 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON, Canada. gaines at cheo.on.ca)
|
| Journal | Child: care, health and development
(Child Care Health Dev)
Vol. 33
Issue 3
Pg. 325-32
(May 2007)
ISSN: 0305-1862 England |
| PMID | 17439447
(Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
|
| Topics |
- Child
- Child, Preschool
- Developmental Disabilities
(epidemiology)
- Female
- Humans
- Language Development Disorders
(epidemiology)
- Male
- Motor Skills Disorders
(epidemiology)
- Ontario
(epidemiology)
- Speech Disorders
(epidemiology)
|
