Dual Motor Task Coordination in Children with and Without Learning Disabilities

2005 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nancy Getchell ◽  
Susan McMenamin ◽  
Jill Whitall
Keyword(s):  
Learning Disabilities ◽  
Motor Coordination ◽  
Phase Locking ◽  
Motor Task ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Gross Motor ◽  
Task Coordination ◽  
Systems Perspective ◽  
Motor Problems ◽  
Visual Motor

This study examines gross motor coordination in children with and without learning disabilities using a dynamical systems perspective. In a dual motor task paradigm (walk/clap, gallop/clap), we measured and compared frequency and phase locking and consistency within and across trials in 12 children with learning disabilities and 12 age-matched typically developing children. In the walk/clap condition, groups differed in consistency and in entrainment (increased frequency of 4 limb coupling) over short-term practice. In the gallop/clap condition, groups differed in consistency; neither group showed entrainment. Comparisons within the LD group of participants with and without diagnosed visual-motor problems showed differences in classification, consistency, and entrainment. These results suggest that gross motor coordination tasks provide information about as well as a novel opportunity for early identification of learning disabilities.

scholarly journals Visual motor integration in children with and without reading disability

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 6486-6489
Author(s):  
Ganapathy Sankar U ◽  
Monisha R
Keyword(s):  
Learning Disabilities ◽  
Reading Disability ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Peer Group ◽  
Full Range ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Assessment Procedure ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Visual Motor Integration ◽  
Visual Motor

Where there are few occupational therapists in regular practice, and an educational psychologist and special educators conducted the majority of the assessment procedure and evaluation of children with visual-motor integration (VMI). They consider assessing children with VMI as similar to the assessment of children with research instruments, and the availability of the trained occupational therapist was limited. VMI is generally expressed as the ability of the child to integrate visual perception input and to coordinate it with limb movements for the execution of motor activities in sequential order. A child with impaired VMI skills fails to execute motor- based activity. We evaluated the visual-motor integration (VMI) in children with and without reading disabilities (RDs) in the primary schools of Mudichur. Full Range Test of Visual-Motor Integration (FRTVMI) was used to evaluate the visual-motor integration among children. A total of 20 children recruited from primary schools in Mudichur. Every parent of the children gave the willingness to participate in the study; 10 children were already diagnosed as having RDs, whereas the remaining 10 children were age-matched typically developing children. The results indicated that children with reading disability scored poor on the FRTVMI than the typically developing age-matched peer-group children. The results support the impairment in visual-motor integration is strongly related to learning disabilities, and the therapist should educate teachers of primary schools to refer children with learning disabilities. However, there is a need for strong assessment among children’s to quantify their skills in reading and writing, and it is vital to diagnose children in the early years to avoid academic failures. Teachers were in need to be educated to refer children are who are suspected of being at risk for RDs in school settings.

Integrational Deficits in Children with Visual-Perceptual-Motor Disabilities

1975 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-57
Author(s):  
Abby G. Rosenfield
Keyword(s):  
Learning Disabilities ◽  
Motor Performance ◽  
Motor Task ◽  
Learning Disabled ◽  
Disabled Children ◽  
Linguistic Performance ◽  
Motor Disabilities ◽  
Differential Performance ◽  
Verbal Component ◽  
Visual Motor

To assess the psycholinguistic and perceptual aspects of their differential performance, 12 normal and 12 learning disabled children in elementary school were tested on a visual-motor task, both with and without an added verbal component. No differences were found for motor performance in any condition, but significant differences were found for linguistic performance during the combined task. The power of linguistic performance during the combined task to serve as a means of diagnosis for learning disabilities was explained as an indication of delayed development of the ability to superimpose process upon process.

Visual-Motor Problems of Adolescents Who Attempt Suicide

1979 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 599-602 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas J. Kenny ◽  
Ruben Rohn ◽  
Richard M. Sarles ◽  
Brenda J. Reynolds ◽  
Felix P. Heald
Keyword(s):  
Motor Coordination ◽  
Adolescent Suicide ◽  
Suicide Attempts ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Suicide Attempters ◽  
Motor Problems ◽  
Visual Motor ◽  
School Failures ◽  
Bender Gestalt Test ◽  
And Behavior

Using the Canter Background Interference Procedure with the Bender-Gestalt Test, a group of 18 adolescent suicide attempters earned test scores indicating they had significantly more problems with visual-motor coordination than did a control group of 21 adolescents. There were also a greater number of school failures and behavior problems among these suicide attempters. The findings suggest that learning disabilities may be an unrecognized factor which increases the risk of suicide attempts by adolescents.

scholarly journals Proximal and distal movement patterns during a graphomotor task in typically developing children and children with handwriting problems

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shoshana Steinhart ◽  
Patrice L. Weiss ◽  
Jason Friedman
Keyword(s):  
Upper Extremity ◽  
Research Group ◽  
Motor Coordination ◽  
Movement Patterns ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Joint Movement ◽  
Typically Developing Children ◽  
Visual Motor Integration ◽  
Visual Motor

Abstract Background Therapists specializing in handwriting difficulties in children often address motor problems including both proximal and distal movements in the upper extremity. Kinematic measures can be used to investigate various aspects of handwriting. This study examined differences in movement patterns in proximal and distal joints of the upper extremity during graphomotor tasks between typically developing children with and without handwriting problems. Additionally, it explored relationships between movement patterns, speed, and legibility of writing. Methods Forty-one children, aged 7–11 years, were assessed with the Aleph Aleph Ktav Yad Hebrew Handwriting assessment and the Beery Test of Visual Motor Integration and, based on their scores, were divided into a research group (with handwriting difficulties) and a control group (without handwriting difficulties). Upper extremity joint movement patterns were analyzed with a motion capture system. Differences in the quality of shapes traced and copied on a graphics tablet positioned horizontally and vertically were compared. Between-group differences and relationships with speed and legibility were analyzed. Results In both groups, there was greater movement in the distal compared to the proximal joints, greater movement when performing the task in a horizontal compared to a vertical plane, and greater movement when tracing than copying. Joint movements in the arm executed scaled-down versions of the shapes being drawn. While the amount of joint displacement was similar between groups, children in the research group showed greater dissimilarity between the drawn shape and the shape produced by the proximal joints. Finally, the drawing measure on the tablet was a significant predictor of legibility, speed of writing, visual motor integration and motor coordination, whereas the dissimilarity measure of joint movement was a significant predictor of speed of writing and motor coordination. Conclusions This study provides support for the role of the distal upper extremity joints in the writing process and some guidance to assist clinicians in devising treatment strategies for movement-related handwriting problems. While we observed differences in proximal joint movements between the children with and without handwriting difficulties, the extent to which they are responsible for the differences in drawing quality remains to be determined. Further studies should use a similar methodology to examine additional tasks such as drawing shapes of varying sizes.

Short Term Auditory Pacing Changes Dual Motor Task Coordination in Children With and Without Dyslexia

2010 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 32-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nancy Getchell ◽  
Samuel J. Mackenzie ◽  
Adam R. Marmon
Keyword(s):  
Task Performance ◽  
Relative Phase ◽  
Motor Task ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Assessment Battery ◽  
Task Coordination ◽  
Movement Assessment

This study examined the effect of short-term auditory pacing practice on dual motor task performance in children with and without dyslexia. Groups included dyslexic with Movement Assessment Battery for Children (MABC) scores > 15th percentile (D_HIGH, n = 18; mean age 9.89 ± 2.0 years), dyslexic with MABC ≤ 15th percentile (D_LOW, n = 15; mean age 10.43 ± 1.8 years), and typically developing (TD, n = 18; mean age 10.64 ± 1.8 years). Participants clapped and walked simultaneously for 3 pretest trials, completed 16 trials with auditory pacing, and 3 posttest trials without pacing. D_LOW differed significantly from D_HIGH and TD in mean relative phase (MRP) of the clap relative to the step, and variability (VRP) of the MRP. Significant differences also existed between pretest blocks and all other blocks in MRP. The results suggest that a short-term auditory pacing may be effective in improving MRP in all children. Further, there may be subtypes of dyslexia wherein children have more profound coordination difficulties and may preferentially change dual motor task performance with auditory pacing.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document