Assessment of control during movement, fine motor skills/handwriting, and gross motor control in children with developmental coordination disorder using the DCD-Q

Abstract

Motor coordination and control are affected by Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), particularly in children. As a result, they are unable to write, tie shoelaces, or participate in sports, affecting their social interactions and quality of life. Considering the poor short-term and long-term outcomes observed in children with DCD, awareness of this condition may increase, prompting more research. Among 99 children with DCD, a six-week intervention was performed in both control and intervention groups. In addition to the DCD-Q questionnaire, parents completed a fine motor/handwriting and gross motor control questionnaire. An ANOVA test was used to analyze all values as mean ± SD. The results showed that both groups improved in motor coordination and control. DCD-related motor difficulties can be addressed more effectively with early intervention in all three domains, especially fine motor control. The control group’s motor control scores increased from 17.9 ± 0.6 at baseline to 21.5 ± 0.5 by the sixth week, with a statistically significant p-value of 0.009. Alternatively, the intervention group’s scores improved from 19.6 ± 0.5 at baseline to 22.4 ± 0.5 at the sixth week, with a statistically significant p-value of 0.007. With regards to fine motor control, the control group’s scores improved from 13.4 ± 1.08 at baseline to 16.4 ± 0.6 at the sixth week, with a statistically significant p-value of 0.01. With regards to fine motor control, the intervention group’s scores improved from 14.5 ± 0.3 at baseline to 20.3 ± 1.4 at the sixth week, with a statistically significant p-value of 0.004. As for gross motor control, the control group’s score increased from 16.6 ± 1.05 at baseline to 20.2 ± 1.0 at the sixth week, showing high statistical significance with a p-value of <0.0001. The intervention group’s scores improved from 18.7 ± 0.5 at baseline to 21.5 ± 0.7 at the sixth week, also demonstrating statistical significance with a p-value of 0.002. Overall, this study highlights the potential benefits of tailored interventions in enhancing motor skills and overall quality of life for children with DCD.