In the present study a sequential tapping task
was used to compare the planning and execution of finger
tapping sequences in children with motor coordination problems
(clumsy children) and control children. Fifteen children
with significant movement problems were compared to 15
control children matched on age, sex, and Verbal IQ. The
clumsy children took significantly longer to initiate the
movement sequence (i.e., reaction time). During the execution
of the sequence, the clumsy children left their finger
on the tap plate for significantly longer for each tap
than the control children. No significant differences were
found between the groups for the time taken between the
taps, or mean average force. Past research has indicated
that the source of timing problems in clumsy children may
lie in a central timing mechanism possibly the cerebellum,
whereas the evidence from the present study indicates an
impairment of the peripheral processes may be a more important
contributor to timing deficits in clumsy children. (JINS,
1999, 5, 320–329.)