Application of Motor Development Scale: an integrative review

ABSTRACT Objective: to know, understand, and analyze studies that employed the Motor Development Scale as a method for motor evaluation. Methods: the study included the databases Scielo, Pubmed, Lilacs, Science Direct, Web of Science, Scopus and Cochrane to identify the studies, using the following keywords: child; motor skills; motor skills disorders. The methodological quality of cross-sectional studies was analyzed by the Loney scale, cohort and case-control studies were assessed by the Newcastle-Ottawa scale, and clinical trials by the Physiotherapy Evidence Database. Results: twenty studies met the inclusion criteria. There was predominance of cross-sectional studies, which had as main outcome the analysis of motor development of schoolchildren, children with obesity and overweight, premature, with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, learning disabilities and Down syndrome. The studies presented objective criteria to measure the outcome and for interpretation and applicability of adequate results, although they did not reach the minimum score established by the assessment scales. Conclusion: the Motor Development Scale is being used in Brazil in several contexts, presenting clear and statistically consistent results, although the methodologies of studies do not fully meet the standards of methodological quality.

Efficiency of Multisensoric Therapy in Autism Spectrum Disorder Patients

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of various treatment methods for children with autistic spectrum disorders (ASD). The prospective study was conducted in 2013–2015 at the Children’s University Hospital and Social Pediatric Centre of the University of Latvia. The data analysis included 72 children (2 to 5 year old) with ASD, of whom 38 had infantile autism, 16 had atypical autism, and 18 had other diffuse developmental disorder). 86.1% patients received therapy. The most common treatment was by Montessori method and special pedagogue. Other treatments were dance-movement therapy, animal, sand and one patient received spa treatments. Univariate OR analysis showed that Montessori therapy had a decreasing trend on three health disorders (visual, hearing, and fine motor skills disorders) compared with other types of therapy, but the effect was not statistically significant. Special pedagogue therapy for autism patients showed similar results. A significant effect was observed for fine motor skills (p < 0.05) and speech development (p < 0.05), and Montessori method and special education were shown to be the most effective tools for promoting developmental progress and reducing developmental delay. Special pedagogue method showed statistically significant efficiency in fine motor skills and speech development. However, significant differences were not found for the Montessori method due to a limited number of patients.

Childhood-Onset Disorders

This chapter provides a review of disorders first diagnosed in infancy, childhood, and adolescence including intellectual disability, learning disorders, motor skills disorders, communication disorders, attention deficit and disruptive behavior disorders, tic disorders, elimination disorders, kleptomania, and pyromania