Motor impairments in children associated with impairments of speech or language: a meta-analytic review of research literature.
OBJECTIVE
We investigated the co-occurrence of motor impairments in children with speech and language impairments.


METHODS
Three search strategies produced 16 studies that met the inclusion criteria for the meta-analysis. These 16 studies yielded 110 effect sizes (d). Heterogeneity was evaluated by obtaining Q and I-squared values.


RESULTS
Children with speech and language impairments made more motor errors than children without impairments, with a statistically significant large effect size (d = 1.23, p < .001). Statistically significant medium effects between groups were found in terms of motor score (d = -0.61, p < .001) and motor time (d = 0.47, p < .001). Heterogeneity was statistically significant for all three measurements of motor abilities.


CONCLUSIONS
Deficits in specific speech and language disorders were associated with motor impairments. This finding might be important for the development of daily living and academic skills in children with speech and language impairments.
Rechetnikov
Rouslan P
RP
Regency Hospital, Sylvania, OH, USA.
Maitra
Kinsuk
K
D002648:Child; D015897:Comorbidity; D019988:Children with Disabilities / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006801:Humans; D007805:Language Development Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D007806:Language Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D019957:Motor Skills Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*