Emotional issues may follow motor problems in kids
ONE APPROACH
In Canada, almost 400,000 children have DCD, according to estimates by the CanChild program at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario.
DCD Demographics
It is estimated that as many as 6% of children between the ages of five and 11 have developmental coordination disorder. Males and females are thought to be equally likely to have this disorder, although males may be more likely to be diagnosed. Developmental coordination disorder and speech-language disorders seem to be closely linked, although it is not clear why this is the case. Children with one disorder are more likely to have the other also.
“It’s important to recognize that it is actually a chronic health condition,” said Cheryl Missiuna, a professor at McMaster University and director of CanChild, which offers tools and training about DCD to teachers and families.
Missiuna said the program aims to teach those involved with children who have DCD so that they can adapt to the kids’ needs.
Prevalence
Developmental coordination disorder appears to be a fairly common disorder of childhood and is usually identified in children between 6 and 12 years of age. Ten years ago, researchers estimated that DCD occurred in 10% to 19% of school-aged children. With a more precise definition of DCD, the current prevalence is estimated to be between 5% and 8% of all school-aged children, with more boys than girls (2:1) being diagnosed with DCD. This difference may reflect higher referral rates for boys, because the behavior of boys with motor incoordination may be more difficult to manage at home and in the classroom. In addition, a higher incidence of DCD may be found among children with a history of prenatal or perinatal difficulties.
For example, Missiuna said students with DCD may have trouble writing for long periods of time and should be allowed to use a typewriter.
She also said it’s important to encourage children with DCD to find sports they can excel in - usually ones with repetitive motions like swimming or bicycling - because DCD kids tend to become overweight as they get older.
Rigoli said the new study’s findings suggest that aiming and catching, as well as balance skills - but not manual dexterity - are linked with emotional wellbeing down the line.
She added that encouraging kids with DCD to participate in sports that focus on physical activity and enjoyment would give them a chance to practice their motor skills.
“(It) may also provide opportunity to promote positive social experiences, and in turn enhance feelings of competency and the emotional well-being of these children,” she told Reuters Health.
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SOURCE: Pediatrics, April 1, 2012.
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Motor Coordination and Psychosocial Correlates in a Normative Adolescent Sample
These results suggest that the relationship between motor coordination and emotional functioning in adolescents from a normative sample may be understood in terms of a mechanism by which motor coordination has an indirect impact on emotional outcomes through various self-perception domains. These findings have important implications for increasing awareness and developing appropriate treatment programs for motor coordination and emotional difficulties.
Daniela Rigoli, BPsych (Hons),
Jan P. Piek, PhD, and
Robert Kane, PhD