Abnormal clumsiness in children: a defect of motor programming?

Abnormal clumsiness in otherwise normal children has often been associated with both perceptual and motor defects, but the cause of this problem remains unclear. This study investigated the ability of clumsy children to programme movement and to use feedback, in both the visual and kinaesthetic modalities, for movement control. Clumsy and normal children performed simple and complex movements with vision either available, or precluded. The reaction time of the clumsy children was found to be longer than that of the normal children and the movement time for the complex, but not the simple response, was found to be longer for the clumsy group. These findings were interpreted as suggesting that clumsy children experience difficulty with the programming of movement and that, as a result, they depend more heavily on feedback for movement control than do normal children.     

Problems in the coupling of eye and hand in the sequential movements of children with Developmental Coordination Disorder

BACKGROUND: Shifting gaze and attention ahead of the hand is a natural component in the performance of skilled manual actions. Very few studies have examined the precise co-ordination between the eye and hand in children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). METHODS: This study directly assessed the maturity of eye-hand co-ordination in children with DCD. A double-step pointing task was used to investigate the coupling of the eye and hand in 7-year-old children with and without DCD. Sequential targets were presented on a computer screen, and eye and hand movements were recorded simultaneously. RESULTS: There were no differences between typically developing (TD) and DCD groups when completing fast single-target tasks. There were very few differences in the completion of the first movement in the double-step tasks, but differences did occur during the second sequential movement. One factor appeared to be the propensity for the DCD children to delay their hand movement until some period after the eye had landed on the target. This resulted in a marked increase in eye-hand lead during the second movement, disrupting the close coupling and leading to a slower and less accurate hand movement among children with DCD. CONCLUSIONS: In contrast to skilled adults, both groups of children preferred to foveate the target prior to initiating a hand movement if time allowed. The TD children, however, were more able to reduce this foveation period and shift towards a feedforward mode of control for hand movements. The children with DCD persevered with a look-then-move strategy, which led to an increase in error. For the group of DCD children in this study, there was no evidence of a problem in speed or accuracy of simple movements, but there was a difficulty in concatenating the sequential shifts of gaze and hand required for the completion of everyday tasks or typical assessment items.     

年龄与发育进程问卷评估学龄前儿童发育能力的调查结果分析

目的探讨应用《年龄与发育进程问卷》(中文版)(agesstages questionnaires-chinese,ASQ-C)评估学龄前儿童发育能力。方法采用随机分层抽样方法,收集了34~66个月儿童122例。由父母或照看人完成儿童月龄相应的ASQ—C,专业人员对各年龄段的儿童ASQ—C的量表总分及沟通(CM)、大运动(GM)、精细运动(FM)、解决问题(CG)以及个人社会(PS)五个能区得分进行统计分析。结果本研究共调查儿童122例,其中,男性65例(53.3%),女性57例(46.7%)。检出一个及以上能区异常26例,检出率为21.31%。经独立样本t检验结果显示,沟通、粗大动作、精细动作、解决问题和个人-社会得分男性高于女性,差异没有统计学意义(P0.05)。经单因素方差分析结果显示,沟通、粗大动作和精细动作得分在各年龄段没有显著差异(P0.05);解决问题和个人-社会得分在各年龄段差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。综合问题分析显示,父母对孩子的视力和不良行为比较担忧。问卷实用性调查分析显示,父母填写ASQ问卷虽然花费较多时间,但对孩子成长过程中所出现的问题有了较多的认识和了解。结论年龄与发育进程问卷适用于学龄前儿童,简便实用。     

Online motor control in children with developmental coordination disorder: chronometric analysis of double‐step reaching performance

Background Although there are a number of plausible accounts to explain movement clumsiness in children [or developmental coordination disorder (DCD)], the cause(s) of the disorder remain(s) an issue of debate. One aspect of motor control that is particularly important to the fluid expression of skill is rapid online control (ROC). Data on DCD have been conflicting. While some recent work using double‐step reaching suggests no difficulty in online control, others suggest deficits (e.g. based on sequential pointing). To help resolve this debate, we suggest two things: use of recent neuro‐computational models as a framework for investigating motor control in DCD, and more rigorous investigation of double‐step reaching. Our working assumption here is that ROC is only viable through the seamless integration of predictive (or forward) models of movement and feedback‐based mechanisms. Aim The aim of this chronometric study was to explore ROC in children with DCD using a double‐step reaching paradigm. We predicted slower online adjustments in DCD based on the argument that these children manifest a core difficulty in predictive control. Methods Participants were a group of 17 children with DCD and 27 typically developing children aged between 7 and 12 years. Visual targets were presented on a 17‐inch LCD touch screen, inclined to an angle of 15° from horizontal. The children were instructed to press each target as it appeared as quickly and accurately as possible. For 80% of the trials, the central target location remained unchanged for the duration of the movement (non‐jump trials), while for the remaining 20% of trials, the target jumped at movement onset to one of the two peripheral locations (jump trials). Reaction time (RT), movement time (MT) and reaching errors were recorded. Results For both groups, RT did not vary according to trial condition, while children with DCD were slower to initiate movement. Further, the MT of children with DCD was prolonged to a far greater extent on jump trials relative to controls, with a large effect size. As well, children with DCD committed significantly more errors, notably a reduced ability to inhibit central responses on jump trials. Conclusion Our findings help reconcile some disparate findings in the literature using similar tasks. The pattern of performance in children with DCD suggests impairment in the ability to make rapid online adjustments that are based on a predictive (or internal) model of the action. These results pave the way for future kinematic investigation.     

儿童发育性协调障碍临床评估工具的研究进展

儿童发育性协调障碍(developmental coordination disorder,DCD)是一种发育性功能障碍,DCD儿童虽然存在动作技能协调性障碍,但智力发育可在正常水平。然而儿童运动能力的障碍往往较注意力和学习能力等更容易被家长忽视,其亦可影响儿童的生长发育、认知,社会危害较大。既往研究显示DCD儿童如果不进行及时干预治疗,会并发诸多继发性障碍。遗憾的是,目前国内DCD研究尚处于起步阶段,本文对目前DCD筛查常用的五种评估工具在适用范围、信效度、优缺点等方面进行综合比较,以期为DCD的早期筛查、临床诊断和干预提供线索。     

西安市幼儿手精细动作发育状况

目的研究西安市3～6岁幼儿手部精细动作发育状况,为幼儿教育和智力开发提供依据.方法采用韦克斯勒儿童智力量表(WPPSI)中的"几何图形"题和丹佛儿童智力筛查量表(DDST)中的"夹花生米、打活结"题对238名幼儿进行手画、手指协调、握笔姿势动作发育调查.绪果手精细动作发育水平随年龄增加而提高;3～4.5岁发育速度最快,此后速度虽有降低但仍然很快.握笔姿势动作发育是由不成熟姿势向成熟(正确)握笔姿势发展的过程,5.2岁有50%能掌握拇指、食指、中指3指末节握笔的正确姿势,6.2岁90%能掌握正确的握笔姿势.影响因素是参加有利于手部动作发育的各种培训班、父亲的职业、子女个数等.结论3～6岁是手精细动作发育的关键时期,在手精细动作发育达到一定程度时才能掌握正确的握笔姿势,过早教幼儿握笔写字有可能养成不正确的握笔姿势.     

A developmental perspective of divergent movement ability in early young children

Movement responses to a stimulus could be either quantitative or qualitative, or could also be the answer to a pre-established problem. This process activates both divergent thinking and critical thinking. Divergent movement ability generates both quantitative and qualitative movement responses to a stimulus. The aim of this study was to examine the divergent movement ability of preschool and elementary school children. The effect of age and gender in two factors of motor creativity—motor fluency and motor flexibility—was estimated. The sample consisted of 191 early young children (101 boys and 90 girls). The subject's divergent movement ability was assessed using the Divergent Movement Ability Test, which included three locomotor/movement tasks. Motor fluency and motor flexibility evaluation was based on the specific scoresheets. Analysis of variance showed statistically significant differences among the three age groups on both factors of divergent movement ability. The older children produced more quantitative and qualitative movement responses than younger children. The results also showed no statistically significant differences between the two genders. Early young girls and boys seemed to have similar ability in producing divergent movements.     

INVESTIGATION INTO THE EFFECTS OF BODY SCHEME TRAINING ON CHILDREN WITH SEVERE CONGENIAL VISUAL IMPAIRMENT

A battery of tests, designed to evaluate movement skills and awareness of body scheme, was administered to a group of children who had just commenced first grade at Narbethong School for Visually Handicapped Children. Visual impairment ranged from total blindness to severe partial impairment. The children were then divided into two matched groups: an experimental group and a control group. The experimental group participated in a period of training specifically aimed at the development of improved body scheme through the provision of increased sensory stimulation, perceptual and motor experience. The control group received no body scheme training. Following the training period, the test battery was readministered to all members of both groups. The hypothesis that a period of body scheme training would result in an improved performance in the areas of movement and body scheme development was supported at a five percent level, with three degrees of freedom, for the overall data. Change in body scheme awareness was significant at a one percent level, with three degrees of freedom, but movement skills failed to show a change that was statistically significant. A group of randomly chosen, fully sighted children, of the same age and school experience were also tested. A difference, significant at the one percent level for six degrees of freedom, was found between the performance of the totally blind children and the fully sighted children.     

功能性构音障碍儿童智力结构分析

目的 了解功能性构音障碍儿童智力结构的发育情况,为其认知功能的全面康复探索依据。方法 选择2017年1—7月就诊于大连市儿童医院儿童保健科确诊为功能性构音障碍儿童与正常儿童各30例,分别进行Peabody图片词汇测验和0~6岁儿童神经心理发育量表测试。比较两组的言语智商和发育总商值及大运动、精细运动、适应能力、语言和社交行为能力的发育水平。结果 功能性构音障碍儿童精细动作和适应性行为、语言能力的发育均低于正常对照组(t=5.241、4.100、3.256,P<0.05)。大运动和社交行为发展与正常对照组一致(t=1.594、2.058,P>0.05)。其自身5项能力比较,精细动作和适应性行为的发展也落后于大运动和社交能力,差异具有统计学意义(t=-2.847、-2.794、-4.268、-2.398,P<0.05)。结论 功能性构音障碍儿童存在智力结构发展的不平衡,有必要尽早对其进行发育水平的评估以利于其全面、整体的康复。     

Creative Movement Therapy Benefits Children with Autism

Thirty-eight children with autism were given movement therapy in small groups led by a trained movement therapist. After two months of biweekly sessions, the movement therapy versus the control (N = 38) children spent less time wandering, more time showing on-task behavior, less time showing negative responses to being touched, and less time resisting the teacher.     

Motor response programming and movement time in children with heavy prenatal alcohol exposure

The present experiment assessed motor response programming and movement time in children with histories of heavy prenatal alcohol exposure (PEA). Alcohol-exposed children between the ages of 7 and 17 years were classified into two groups: Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS: n = 9) and children with PEA (PEA: n = 19) but who did not have the defining characteristics of FAS. The FAS and PEA children were compared with non-alcohol-exposed children (NC: n = 23) when completing two tasks: a simple reaction time task (RT alone condition) and a reaction plus movement task (RT + Move condition). The movement involved responding to an imperative stimulus signal and depressing three target buttons in a set sequence. Participants completed 24 trials each for the RT alone and RT + Move response conditions. Results indicated no significant differences in performance among FAS, PEA, and NC groups during the RT alone condition. However, during the RT + Move condition, the FAS group produced significantly longer and more variable RTs than the PEA and NC groups, which produced comparable RTs. The FAS group also produced significantly slower movement times when moving to all three targets, whereas movement time variability did not significantly differ as a function of group. The observed results indicate children with FAS experience deficits in response programming and movement time production.     

不同海拔地区学龄前儿童粗大动作发展与体力活动关联性

  目的  探讨不同海拔地区学龄前儿童粗大动作发展与体力活动水平的关联性，为儿童粗大动作能力发展研究提供依据。  方法  于2019年10—11月，采用方便抽样，以塔什库尔干县188名世居3 240 m高原(Hi组)、喀什地区175名世居1 290 m亚高原(SubHi组)及吐鲁番高昌区191名世居450 m平原(Pla组)3~6岁学龄前儿童为研究对象，进行粗大动作发展评估及体力活动测试。  结果  随年龄上升，各测试组学龄前儿童中等强度体力活动(MPA)、高强度体力活动(VPA)、中高强度体力活动(MVPA)、粗大动作得分均呈上升趋势；SubHi组男童5岁阶段均高于Hi组，Pla组5岁阶段上述指标均高于Hi组(P值均 < 0.05)；SubHi组、Pla组女童4岁阶段MPA水平高于Hi组，SubHi组5岁阶段MVPA高于Hi组；SubHi组、Pla组在男童5岁阶段均高于Hi组，4岁阶段Pla组高于SubHi组(P值均 < 0.05)，女童各海拔组间粗大动作相关指标差异均无统计学意义(P值均>0.05)。Hi组及SubHi组低强度体力活动(LPA)与操作动作得分呈正相关(r值分别为0.60，0.44)，Pla组LPA与位移动作得分呈正相关(r=0.69)；MPA与Hi组位移动作得分(r=0.53)、SubHi组位移动作得分及粗大动作总分(r值分别为0.45，0.59)、Pla组粗大动作各项得分(r值分别为0.69，0.52，0.73)均呈正相关(P值均 < 0.05)；除平原组位移得分及粗大动作总分外，VPA与各组粗大动作各项得分均呈正相关(P值均 < 0.05)。  结论  不同海拔地区3~6岁儿童粗大动作发展与体力活动存在一定关联，中高强度体力活动可以作为提高3~6岁儿童粗大动作发展的有效手段。     

指导家长参与和强化运动训练对脑瘫患儿粗大运动功能的疗效影响

[目的]探讨指导家长参与和强化训练量对提高脑性瘫痪(简称脑瘫)患儿粗大运动功能的影响. [方法]按家长是否自愿接受康复培训并参加强化运动治疗分组,研究期间资料完整病例98例,其中50例参加患儿为观察组,48例未参加患儿为对照组.两组均由康复医生和康复治疗师采用综合康复治疗,功能训练主要采用Bobath法、上田法等康复技术,功能训练1次/d,每次40 min.观察组同时指导家长参与进行家庭康复训练,每天于医院治疗间期功能训练3次,每次40 min,观察时间6个月.治疗前后根据粗大运动发育量表(Gross Motor Function Measure,GMFM)-88项进行评估.[结果]患儿入组时GMFM-88项总百分比两组间比较,差异无统计学意义(P>0.05);治疗6个月后,GM-FM-88项总百分比两组间比较,观察组比对照组提高,差异有统计学意义(P<0.01).[结论]指导家长参与和强化运动训练有利于脑瘫患儿粗大运动功能的康复,是应该推广的康复模式.     

Compensatory Postural Sway While Seated Posture During Tasks in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Postural stability while seated was investigated in 16 children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and 16 typically developed (TD) children, aged 7–8 years. The lateral and antero‐posterior (A‐P) deviations of the centre of pressure (COP) were serially measured during sequential, upper limb, desk‐top tasks, including nine subtests. The average COP deviation was larger, especially in the lateral direction, in the group of children with ASD compared with TD children. However, the larger COP deviation in the children with ASD was not generalized across tasks. Analyses of subtests revealed that deviations were different on three and four (of eight) subtests in the lateral and A‐P directions, respectively. The time needed to complete each subtest was not correlated with the lateral COP deviation but with A‐P deviation during the subtest in the children with ASD. Preserved task performance with marked body sway in the children with ASD suggested that the body sway was not a functionally abnormal movement that disturbed performance but could be a compensatory movement to actually facilitate performance. A new approach with occupational therapy to support such compensatory movement of ASD children could be considered in their school life. Further studies, including those in the classroom, to clarify the relationship between daily task performance and body instability are necessary. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Contributions to an Understanding of the Music and Movement Connection

Movement is acknowledged in early years music education practice as a vital medium for the development of musical learning among young children. Existing explanations of the connection between music and movement seem to fall short of providing an explanation adequate for the immediate, expressive and integrated nature of this bond. Yet the synaesthetic nature of early childhood music activity is well recognised in the observations of researchers and those who have everyday care of children. This paper aims to contribute to an understanding of the music/movement connection by relating aspects of recent research into infant-caregiver interaction to musical development. Some alternative conceptions of the music and movement learning connection are proposed in the final section.     

注意缺陷多动障碍患儿自我觉知特点的研究

目的 探讨注意缺陷多动障碍(ADHD)儿童自我觉知的特点,为临床诊疗提供有效参考。方法 采用病例对照研究方法,在上海交通大学医学院附属精神卫生中心儿少科心理门诊收集ADHD患儿作为研究组,随机选取与被试年龄、性别相匹配的健康发育儿童作为对照组,用Conners父母用症状问卷、儿童神经心理缺陷自评问卷(SAND-C)评估两组儿童的症状和自我觉知水平。结果 ADHD组在运动和行为控制、记忆和语言两个因子的得分和总分明显高于对照组,在注意因子上的得分低于对照组(P均<0.05);ADHD患儿神经心理缺陷自我觉知的运动和行为控制因子与Conners问卷的学习问题、焦虑、多动指数三个因子呈负相关(P均<0.05)。结论 ADHD组患儿不能意识到自身在疾病上的缺陷,过高地评估了自己的能力,神经心理缺陷自我觉知水平低下,会影响患儿的社会功能。     

学龄前儿童动作技能与注意集中和注意转移的相关性

目的 探究学龄前儿童动作技能与注意集中和注意转移的相关性,为促进4～6岁学龄前儿童全面发展提供依据.方法 2020年3-6月,以165名4～6岁学龄前儿童为研究对象,采用布尼氏动作技能熟练度测试(BOT-2)灵敏分量表和肢体双侧协调分量表、儿童动作技能测试量表(第2版)(MABC-2)抛接技能分量表和平衡分量表测试学龄...     

大肌肉群动作发展与儿童生长发育及与动作能力感知的相关性研究

目的 探讨大肌肉群动作发展对儿童生长发育及与动作能力感知的相关性,为全面评估儿童身心发育提供科学依据。方法 选择2018年5月-2019年10月7~8岁儿童178名作为对象,所有儿童入院后均完成身高、体重测量;采用大肌肉群动作发展测试第3版(TGMD-3)对儿童的大肌肉群发展进行评估;采用儿童感知能力和社会适应量表(PSPC-P)对儿童感知身体能力进行测试;采用SPSS Pearson相关性分析软件对儿童大肌肉群动作发展与生长发育、运作能力感知进行相关性分析。结果 7~8岁儿童中男性TGMD-3评分中移动性评分低于女性(t=7.391,P＜0.05);控制性及TGMD-3总分均高于女性(t=5.327、6.481,P＜0.05);8岁儿童中移动性、控制性及TGMD-3总分均高于7岁(t=6.035、7.121、6.092、P＜0.05);7~8岁儿童中男性身高、体重略高于女性(t=7.091、6.436,P＜0.05);男女童PSPC-P评分无统计学意义(P>0.05);8岁儿童身高、体重及PSPC-P评分均高于7岁(t=6.093、7.163、5.992,P＜0.05);Pearson相关性分析结果表明:儿童大肌肉群动作发展中移动性、控制性及总分与儿童身高、体重及PSPC-P评分均呈正相关性(移动性r=0.745、0.737、0.762;控制性r=0.698、0.794、0.751;总分r=0.711、0.721、0.745,P＜0.05)。结论 7~8岁儿童大肌肉群动作发展与生长发育、动作能力感知存在紧密的联系,存在明显的相关性,应增加儿童动作测量,全面评估儿童身体、心理全面发展。     

学龄儿童基本动作技能发展水平及其相关影响因素的研究

目的 分析学龄儿童基本动作技能发展水平与体质指数和功能动作测试结果的相关性,为促进儿童青少年运动技能的发展提供理论与实验依据。方法 以240名学龄儿童为研究对象,通过大肌肉动作发展测试(TGMD-2),观察学龄儿童基本动作技能发展水平,并分组采用体质指数(BMI)和功能动作筛查(FMS)测试,比较不同组别儿童基本动作技能水平、BMI指数、FMS的特点及其相关影响因素。结果 1) 学龄儿童基本动作技能发展为距离完全成熟还有差距;2)学龄儿童样本TGMD总分、控制项得分与其BMI指数无相关,TGMD移动项得分与BMI指数负相关,而FMS得分受BMI指数负影响;3)TGMD总分与FMS得分正相关,反映TGMD总分高度依赖FMS测试结果。结论 儿童运动技能的发展需要系统的科学培养过程。