Motor coordination and emotional-behavioral problems in children.
OBJECTIVE
To summarize recent research on developmental coordination disorder (DCD), with particular attention to comorbidity and related questions of etiology.


RESULTS
Although a general consensus on the disorder definition exists, case identification in research studies remains problematic. Despite this, recent research has reported high levels of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and internalizing disorders among children with poor motor coordination. These findings offer some support for the longstanding view that DCD may be one facet of a broader syndrome that includes learning difficulties and deficits in attention. 'Pure' cases are common, however, and other work suggests that DCD and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder have distinct causes. There is also some evidence that internalizing disorder may be a consequence of DCD.


CONCLUSIONS
Measurement issues in DCD persist, whereas findings on comorbidity have both illuminated the nature of the disorder and heightened debate on its usefulness as a distinct diagnostic entity.
Cairney
John
J
Offord Centre for Child Studies and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neuroscience, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada. cairnej@mcmaster.ca
Veldhuizen
Scott
S
Szatmari
Peter
P
D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D006801:Humans; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019957:Motor Skills Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*