Activities of Daily Living in Children With Developmental Coordination Disorder: Performance, Learning, and Participation.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) face evident motor difficulties in daily functioning. Little is known, however, about their difficulties in specific activities of daily living (ADL).

OBJECTIVE:

The purposes of this study were: (1) to investigate differences between children with DCD and their peers with typical development for ADL performance, learning, and participation, and (2) to explore the predictive values of these aspects.

DESIGN:

This was a cross-sectional study.

METHODS:

In both a clinical sample of children diagnosed with DCD (n=25 [21 male, 4 female], age range=5-8 years) and a group of peers with typical development (25 matched controls), the children's parents completed the DCDDaily-Q. Differences in scores between the groups were investigated using t tests for performance and participation and Pearson chi-square analysis for learning. Multiple regression analyses were performed to explore the predictive values of performance, learning, and participation.

RESULTS:

Compared with their peers, children with DCD showed poor performance of ADL and less frequent participation in some ADL. Children with DCD demonstrated heterogeneous patterns of performance (poor in 10%-80% of the items) and learning (delayed in 0%-100% of the items). In the DCD group, delays in learning of ADL were a predictor for poor performance of ADL, and poor performance of ADL was a predictor for less frequent participation in ADL compared with the control group.

LIMITATIONS:

A limited number of children with DCD were addressed in this study.

CONCLUSIONS:

This study highlights the impact of DCD on children's daily lives and the need for tailored intervention.

• Authors: Berdien W Van der Linde, Jaap J van Netten, Bert Otten, Klaas Postema, Reint H Geuze, Marina M Schoemaker
• Journal: Physical therapy (Phys Ther) Vol. 95 Issue 11 Pg. 1496-506 (Nov 2015) ISSN: 1538-6724 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 26045605 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: © 2015 American Physical Therapy Association.

Topics

• Activities of Daily Living
• Case-Control Studies
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Cross-Sectional Studies
• Disability Evaluation
• Female
• Humans
• Learning
• Male
• Motor Skills Disorders (physiopathology)
• Netherlands
• Predictive Value of Tests
• Surveys and Questionnaires