Early maturation of motor-delayed children at school age.
Children underwent motor and sensory testing during each of 3 consecutive years beginning at kindergarten entrance. Children were assigned to either a motor-normal or motor-delayed group based on results from testing during the 1st year of the study. Motor-normal subjects (n = 17) had standard scores on a global motor-sensory test that fell within one standard deviation of the mean. Motor-delayed subjects (n = 12) had a global motor-sensory test standard score indicating greater than one standard deviation of motor delay and, in addition, were delayed by a minimum of one standard deviation on four of five of the motor-sensory test subtests. At the conclusion of the 3-year study, the mean standard score of the motor-delayed group remained greater than one standard deviation below the performance of the motor-normal group as measured by the global motor-sensory test. Statistical analysis using repeated measures analysis of variance indicated that the motor-delayed group made gains but did not close the gap between themselves and the motor-normal group during the 3-year study. Group x time interaction effects showed that during the study, significant gain was made by the motor-delayed group on the motor coordination subtest of the motor-sensory test. The study supports the conclusion that motor-delayed children without early intervention fail to outgrow their motor delays by age 8 years.
Blondis
T A
TA
Department of Pediatrics, University of Chicago, IL.
Snow
J H
JH
Roizen
N J
NJ
Opacich
K J
KJ
Accardo
P J
PJ
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology*; D011596:Psychomotor Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D011597:Psychomotor Performance