The relationship between gross motor skills and academic achievement in children with learning disabilities

The present study compared the gross motor skills of 7- to 12-year-old children with learning disabilities (n = 104) with those of age-matched typically developing children (n = 104) using the Test of Gross Motor Development-2. Additionally, the specific relationships between subsets of gross motor skills and academic performance in reading, spelling, and mathematics were examined in children with learning disabilities. As expected, the children with learning disabilities scored poorer on both the locomotor and object-control subtests than their typically developing peers. Furthermore, in children with learning disabilities a specific relationship was observed between reading and locomotor skills and a trend was found for a relationship between mathematics and object-control skills: the larger children's learning lag, the poorer their motor skill scores. This study stresses the importance of specific interventions facilitating both motor and academic abilities.     

特定学校技能发育障碍儿童的皮纹学研究

目的对特定学校技能发育障碍患儿手部皮纹学特征进行研究。方法符合中国精神障碍分类与诊断标准第三版(CCMD-3)诊断的特定学校技能发育障碍45例为Ⅰ组;仅为学习成绩低下而无精神障碍者99例为Ⅱ组,用按捺油墨法取样,于放大镜下观察和记录。以国内文献报道的正常值为对照。结果特定学校技能发育障碍儿童(Ⅰ组)双箕斗(Wd)出现率、手掌无真实花纹出现率显著增高,总指纹嵴数、a-b嵴数显著增加,atd角平均值显著增大;尺箕(Lu)出现率,大鱼际、小鱼际、指间区Ⅰ3、Ⅰ4真实花纹出现率,手掌仅有一个区存在真实花纹的出现率,近侧横褶纹和拇指垂直褶纹于虎口处不汇合的出现率,猿线出现率均显著减少。而Ⅱ组在As、Lu、Ws出现率、总指纹嵴数和a-b嵴数均值存在相反的结果。结论特定学校技能发育障碍儿童atd角增大,提示atd角越大者心理素质越差。     

The relationship of motor skills and adaptive behavior skills in young children with autism spectrum disorders

ObjectiveTo determine the relationship of motor skills and adaptive behavior skills in young children with autism.DesignA multiple regression analysis tested the relationship of motor skills on the adaptive behavior composite, daily living, adaptive social and adaptive communicative skills holding constant age, non-verbal problem solving, and calibrated autism severity.SettingMajority of the data collected took place in an autism clinic.ParticipantsA cohort of 233 young children with ASD (n = 172), PDD-NOS (n = 22) and non-ASD (developmental delay, n = 39) between the ages of 14–49 months were recruited from early intervention studies and clinical referrals. Children with non-ASD (developmental delay) were included in this study to provide a range of scores indicted through calibrated autism severity.InterventionsNot applicable.Main outcome measuresThe primary outcome measures in this study were adaptive behavior skills.ResultsFine motor skills significantly predicted all adaptive behavior skills (p < 0.01). Gross motor skills were predictive of daily living skills (p < 0.05). Children with weaker motor skills displayed greater deficits in adaptive behavior skills.ConclusionsThe fine and gross motor skills are significantly related to adaptive behavior skills in young children with autism spectrum disorder. There is more to focus on and new avenues to explore in the realm of discovering how to implement early intervention and rehabilitation for young children with autism and motor skills need to be a part of the discussion.     

Prospective study of gross motor development in children with SMA Type II

The natural history of SMA and the identification of predictive criteria of functional development are still a matter of discussion.This prospective study involved 20 children with SMA, aged between 3.10 and 15.7 years. The patients were followed from 1979 to 1992 in order to try to develop a greater understanding of the natural history of SMA at a very early age.A standardized protocol was used at regular intervals to assess parameters such as joint contractures, scoliosis and the milestones of gross motor functions.Our findings agree with the data in the literature concerning the early and generalized onset of joint contractures and scoliosis.A significant correlation was found between the level of acquired gross motor functions and walking with support. The acquisition of rolling by 5 years of age was the milestone that best correlated with the acquisition of walking with crutches and braces; furthermore the inability to roll seemed to correlate with the severity of the disease. These findings should be useful in planning a more rational rehabilitation program.

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Sommario È stato condotto uno studio prospettico su 20 bambini affetti da SMA di età compresa tra 3.10 e 15.7 anni. I pazienti sono stati seguiti dal 1979 al 1992 utilizzando a intervalli regolari un protocollo di valutazione standardizzato che permette di valutare diversi parametri quali: la presenza di limitazioni articolari, di scoliosi e i parametri di funzionalità motoria.I risultati ottenuti sono in accordo con i dati della letteratura per quanto concerne l'insorgenza precoce di retrazioni articolari e di scoliosi.Una correlazione significativa, è stata rilevata nei nostri pazienti, tra il livello neurofunzionale raggiunto e l'acquisizione del cammino con sostegno. In particolare l'acquisizione del rotolamento entro i 5 anni di vita sembra essere correlato con la successiva acquisizione del cammino assistito, mentre la non acquisizione di tale funzione, nel nostro campione, correla con una prognosi più severa. Tale dato è pertanto importante anche nella formulazione del programma riabilitativo che deve considerare sia l'indice di gravità che la prognosi.

     

Relationship between motor skill impairment and severity in children with Asperger syndrome

This study examined the correlation between severity and motor impairment in children with Asperger syndrome (AS). Children, ages 6–12 with AS (N = 51) and a control group of typical children (N = 56), were assessed using the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) and the Movement Assessment Battery For Children (MABC). A bivariate correlational design was used to compare the scores (Spearman rank correlational coefficient). Significant differences were seen between typical, mild to moderate and severe categories of SRS scores, based on the Kruskal–Wallis one-way analysis of variance by ranks (p < .05). Strong correlations were found between the MABC motor impairment levels and the SRS severity levels. This study adds a clearer understanding of the relationship between motor impairment and severity for children with AS. The degree of correlation indicates that motor skill impairment is a function of severity within AS.     

Determinants of gross motor skill performance in children with visual impairments

Children with visual impairments (CWVI) generally perform poorer in gross motor skills when compared with their sighted peers. This study examined the influence of age, sex, and severity of visual impairment upon locomotor and object control skills in CWVI. Participants included 100 CWVI from across the United States who completed the Test of Gross Motor Development II (TGMD-II). The TGMD-II consists of 12 gross motor skills including 6 object control skills (catching, kicking, striking, dribbling, throwing, and rolling) and 6 locomotor skills (running, sliding, galloping, leaping, jumping, and hopping). The full range of visual impairments according to United States Association for Blind Athletes (USABA; B3 = 20/200–20/599, legally blind; B2 = 20/600 and up, travel vision; B1 = totally blind) were assessed. The B1 group performed significantly worse than the B2 (0.000 ≤ p ≤ 0.049) or B3 groups (0.000 ≤ p ≤ 0.005); however, there were no significant differences between B2 and B3 except for the run (p = 0.006), catch (p = 0.000), and throw (p = 0.012). Age and sex did not play an important role in most of the skills, with the exception of boys outperforming girls striking (p = 0.009), dribbling (p = 0.013), and throwing (p = 0.000), and older children outperforming younger children in dribbling (p = 0.002). The significant impact of the severity of visual impairment is likely due to decreased experiences and opportunities for children with more severe visual impairments. In addition, it is likely that these reduced experiences explain the lack of age-related differences in the CWVI. The large disparities in performance between children who are blind and their partially sighted peers give direction for instruction and future research. In addition, there is a critical need for intentional and specific instruction on motor skills at a younger age to enable CWVI to develop their gross motor skills.     

A longitudinal study of schizophrenia- and affective spectrum disorders in individuals diagnosed with a developmental language disorder as children

The prevalence and types of schizophrenia- and affective spectrum disorders were studied in 469 individuals with a developmental language disorder (DLD), assessed in the same clinic during a period of 10 years, and 2,345 controls from the general population. All participants were screened through the nationwide Danish Psychiatric Central Register (DPCR). The mean length of follow-up was 34.7 years, and the mean age at follow-up 35.8 years. The results show an excess of schizophrenia spectrum disorders (F20-F29) within participants with DLD when compared with controls from the overall population (6.4% vs. 1.8%; P < 0.0001). For schizophrenia (F20.x) the respective figures were 3.8% versus 1.1%; P = 0.0001. The variable degree of expressive language disorder was significantly associated with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder diagnosis in the DPCR. There was no significant increase in affective spectrum disorders (F30-F39) in the DLD case group (3.4% vs. 2.0%; P = 0.05). Our results provide additional support to the notion that DLD is a marker of increased vulnerability to the development of schizophrenia spectrum disorders.     

学习障碍患儿血清β-内啡肽水平的研究

目的探讨学习障碍(LD)患儿血清beta-内啡肽(β-EP)水平的变化及其与学习障碍病理基础的关系。方法患者组为22例为未治疗过且不共患其他疾病的学习障碍患儿,对照组为18例年龄性别匹配正常儿童,以瑞文标准推理测验(SPM)测定智商,采用酶联夹心免疫吸附法检测血清β-EP。结果LD患者血清β-EP平均浓度为(182.37±15.65)pg/ml,低于对照组(199.93±9.09)pg/ml,P<0.01。正常智商组为(178.50±13.95)pg/ml,边缘智商组为(183.83±16.42)pg/ml,二者比较差异无显著性(P>0.05),与对照组比较,差异均有非常显著性(P<0.01)。结论LD发病可能与脑内β-EP含量水平降低有关,检测其血清β-EP在脑功能研究方面可能具有价值。     

绘画治疗在儿童情绪障碍治疗中的作用

目的:探讨绘画治疗对儿童情绪障碍治疗的作用。方法:采用自身对照研究,将32例符合儿童情绪障碍诊断标准的儿童作为研究对象,进行为期6个月的绘画治疗。于治疗前及治疗后使用儿童焦虑性情绪障碍筛查量表(SCARED)和艾森克人格问卷(EPQ)儿童版对患儿进行评估。结果:治疗6个月后,患儿SCARED评分低于治疗前(P<0.05);EPQ中情绪稳定性量表分低于治疗前(P<0.05)。结论:绘画治疗能够有效改善和稳定情绪障碍儿童的情绪。     

Health care utilization in children and adolescents with psychiatric disorders

Objective

Mental illness is increasing among young people and likewise the request for health care services. At the same time, somatic comorbidity is common in children and adolescents with psychiatric disorders. There is a lack of studies on health care use in children and adolescents, and the hypothesis was that children and adolescents with psychiatric disorders use more primary-, and specialized somatic health care compared to children without psychiatric disorders.

Methods

In this retrospective population-based register study, all individuals aged 3–17 years living in Västra Götaland region in Sweden in 2017 were included (n = 298,877). Linear and Poisson regression were used to compare health care use during 2016–2018 between children with and without psychiatric diagnoses, controlling for age and gender. The results were reported as unstandardised beta coefficient (ß) and adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR) respectively.

Results

Having a psychiatric diagnosis was associated with more primary care visits (ß 2.35, 95% CI 2.30–2.40). This applied to most diagnoses investigated. Girls had more primary care visits than boys. Likewise, individuals with psychiatric diagnoses had more specialized somatic outpatient care (ß 1.70, 95% CI 1.67–1.73), both planned and unplanned (ß 1.23, 95% CI 1.21–1.25; ß 0.18, 95% CI 0.17–0.19). Somatic inpatient care was more common in those having a psychiatric diagnosis (aPR 1.65, 95% CI 1.58–1.72), with the diagnoses of psychosis and substance use exerting the greatest risk.

Conclusions

Psychiatric diagnoses were associated with increased primary-, somatic outpatient- as well as somatic inpatient care. Increased awareness of comorbidity and easy access to relevant health care could be beneficial for patients and caregivers. The results call for a review of current health care systems with distinct division between medical disciplines and levels of health care.     

Emotional disorders in learning disabled adolescents

We retrospectively reviewed patients discharged from the psychiatric inpatient adolescent service and correlated neuropsychological subtypes with the patient's psychiatric diagnoses. Depressed learning disabled patients had visual memory and processing deficits. Conduct or behaviorally disordered patients had expressive language deficits. Learning disability subtypes may affect psychotherapy and therefore should be known when planning psychotherapy.     

Improvement of fine motor skills in children with visual impairment: an explorative study

In this study we analysed the potential spin-off of magnifier training on the fine-motor skills of visually impaired children. The fine-motor skills of 4- and 5-year-old visually impaired children were assessed using the manual skills test for children (6-12 years) with a visual impairment (ManuVis) and movement assessment for children (Movement ABC), before and after receiving a 12-sessions training within a 6-weeks period. The training was designed to practice the use of a stand magnifier, as part of a larger research project on low-vision aids. In this study, fifteen children trained with a magnifier; seven without. Sixteen children had nystagmus. In this group head orientation (ocular torticollis) was monitored. Results showed an age-related progress in children's fine-motor skills after the training, irrespective of magnifier condition: performance speed of the ManuVis items went from 333.4 s to 273.6 s on average. Accuracy in the writing tasks also increased. Finally, for the children with nystagmus, an increase of ocular torticollis was found. These results suggest a careful reconsideration of which intervention is most effective for enhancing perceptuomotor performance in visually impaired children: specific ‘fine-motor’ training or ‘non-specific’ visual-attention training with a magnifier.     

Impact of malnutrition on gastrointestinal disorders and gross motor abilities in children with cerebral palsy

Children with cerebral palsy (CP) often demonstrate abnormal feeding behaviours, leading to reduced food consumption and malnutrition. Moreover, most of them present with gastrointestinal disorders, such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and/or chronic constipation (CC), and poor motor function rehabilitation. The aim of our study was to assess the possible relationship between malnutrition and gastrointestinal problems and to evaluate the role of nutrition on their gross motor abilities in a population of children with CP and mental retardation. PATIENTS: Twenty-one consecutive children (10 boys; mean age: 5.8+/-4.7 years; range: 1-14 years) with CP and severe mental retardation. METHODS: Nutritional assessment included the measurement of body mass index (BMI=W/H2), fat body mass (FBM) and fat free mass (FFM). Children with symptoms suggesting GERD underwent prolonged 24h intraesophageal pH monitoring and/or upper GI endoscopy with biopsies before and after a 6 months of pharmaceutical (omeprazole) and nutritional (20% increment of daily caloric intake) treatments. The motor function was evaluated by "The Gross Motor Function Measure" (GMFM) before and after the 6 months on nutritional rehabilitation. RESULTS: BMI for age was or=25 degrees percentile, five of nine (55.5%) patients had persistent GERD when they were taken off the medication. CONCLUSIONS: Malnutrition and gastrointestinal disorders are very common in children with cerebral palsy. Improved nutritional status, particularly fat free mass gain, appears to have an impact on motor function in children with CP.     

Voluntary control of saccadic and smooth-pursuit eye movements in children with learning disorders

Eye movement is crucial to humans in allowing them to aim the foveae at objects of interest. We examined the voluntary control of saccadic and smooth-pursuit eye movements in 18 subjects with learning disorders (LDs) (aged 8–16) and 22 normal controls (aged 7–15). The subjects were assigned visually guided, memory-guided, and anti-saccade tasks, and smooth-pursuit eye movements (SPEM). Although, the LD subjects showed normal results in the visually guided saccade task, they showed more errors in the memory-guided saccade task (e.g. they were unable to stop themselves reflexively looking at the cue) and longer latencies, even when they performed correctly. They also showed longer latencies than the controls in the anti-saccade task. These results suggest that they find it difficult to voluntarily suppress reflexive saccades and initiate voluntary saccades when a target is invisible. In SPEM using step-ramp stimuli, the LD subjects showed lower open- and closed-loop gains. These results suggest disturbances of both acceleration of eye movement in the initial state and maintenance of velocity in minimizing retinal slip in the steady state. Recent anatomical studies in LD subjects have suggested abnormalities in the structure of certain brain areas such as the frontal cortex. Frontal eye movement-related areas such as the frontal eye fields and supplementary eye fields may be involved in these disturbances of voluntary control of eye movement in LDs.     

儿童青少年品行障碍门诊病案分析

目的了解儿童及青少年品行障碍的发生情况及其相关因素。方法以l990年1月至2001年12月期间就诊的96例品行障碍者(年龄在8～18岁之间)作为病例组，根据当时的病历记载所需资料内容．与对正常健康儿童及青少年的调查内容作对照。结果96例品行障碍者以男性多于女性．且随年龄增长有呈逐年增长的趋势，其中以12～15岁为发病率最高。父母文化程度、教育方式及教育态度对品行障碍的发生有着直接影响。结论儿童及青少年品行障碍的发生虽取决于多种因素，但是与其父母的文化程度、家庭教养方式及教育态度有着密切的关系。