title: Motor skill performance and sports participation in deaf elementary school children.
abstract: This study aimed to examine motor performance in deaf elementary school children and its association with sports participation. The population studied included 42 deaf children whose hearing loss ranged from 80 to 120 dB. Their motor skills were assessed with the Movement Assessment Battery for Children, and a questionnaire was used to determine their active involvement in organized sports. The deaf children had significantly more borderline and definite motor problems than the normative sample: 62% (manual dexterity), 52% (ball skills), and 45% (balance skills). Participation in organized sports was reported by 43% of the children; these children showed better performance on ball skills and dynamic balance. This study demonstrates the importance of improving deaf children's motor skill performance, which might contribute positively to their sports participation.
authors.affiliation: Center for Human Movement Sciences at the University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hartman
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Houwen
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Visscher
mesh_terms: D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D015897:Comorbidity; D003638:Deafness / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D019988:Children with Disabilities / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology*; D019957:Motor Skills Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D009426:Netherlands; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology; D012678:Sensation Disorders; D012813:Sign Language; D013177:Sports / Q000502:physiology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires