Motor and postural response profiles of four children with developmental coordination disorder.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this report is to present a descriptive profile of the postural responses and motor skill performance of four children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD).

METHODS

Four children with DCD, aged nine to 12 years participated. A profile of each child's case background, school performance, and motor skill performance was developed, in addition to the collection of data from three sessions of posturography trials on the computerized Sensory Organization Test (SOT).

RESULTS

All four children had a significant degree of impairment in balance responses and limitations in motor performance, with increased sway and frequency of falls in all sensory conditions on the SOT in comparison with peers. Mean equilibrium scores were between one and two standard deviations below peer averages, and sensory scores showed performance levels similar to those of younger age groups. There was a high level of variability associated with repeated SOTs.

CONCLUSIONS

The SOT data provide further insight into the underlying mechanisms that contribute to balance deficits experienced by children with DCD and suggest that assessment and therapeutic approaches take into account sensory deficits in postural control.