title: Development of early graphomotor skills in children with neurodevelopmental risks.
abstract: Drawing as an early form of a child's graphomotor skill is used as an element in the assessment of visual-motor coordination. Development of artistic expression is a precursor of the later development of writing that requires a high degree of coordination and precision. Children with perinatal impairment of the central nervous system and prematurely born children belong to a group of children with neurodevelopmental risk. Some of the possible results of this type of difficulty can be mild forms of motor disabilities. A retrospective study was conducted by archive review of children under the age of 3 hospitalized at University Department of Rheumatology, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital Center. The aim was to determine the incidence ofgraphomotor difficulties in children with perinatal impairments of the central nervous system and prematurely born children. The study included 50 children aged 12-36 months. The results showed 72% of the tested children to have drawings within the limits expected for their age, 13 children showed graphic abilities below the expectations for their age, while one child did not show functional use of pen. Literature indicates a common learning disability and difficulties with attention and fine motor skills in preschool and particularly in schoolchildren born with neurodevelopmental risk. This study therefore suggests that, despite good initial compensation in the early development ofgraphomotor skills, it is necessary to maintain follow-up procedures in order to prevent later difficulties in the development of graphomotor and writing skills.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Rehabilitation, Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Matijević-Mikelić
authors.forename: Tena
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kosicek
authors.forename: Maja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Crnković
authors.forename: Zvjezdana
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Trifunović-Macek
authors.forename: Simeon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grazio
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D019957:Motor Skills Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance