Abstract
This study aimed to explore the association between developmental coordination disorder (DCD) diagnosed after the age of three and both a standardized motor test—the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS)—and non-standardized observation of movement quality carried out before the age of three. Children at risk or with developmental concerns were studied retrospectively. Children were excluded in case of a diagnosis, excluding DCD, e.g., cerebral palsy, or IQ < 70. Of the 503 included children, 246 were diagnosed with (at-risk) DCD. Multivariate binary logistic regression revealed a significant association between DCD diagnosis after the age of three and male gender and with different aspects of poor movement quality in different age groups before the age three. Univariate analyses revealed an association between DCD diagnosis and the number of poor movement-quality descriptions at 0–6 months, 6–12 months, and 18 months–3 years but not with the AIMS scores. The MABC-2 scores after the age of three were significantly correlated with the number of poor movement-quality descriptions in age groups 0–6 months and 18 months–3 years and with the AIMS scores in age groups 6–12 months and 12–18 months. The results suggest that DCD can be associated with poor movement quality before the age of three.
Highlights
Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder, a lifelong condition that makes it hard to learn motor skills and coordination
This study aims to explore the association between DCD diagnosed after the age of three and both a standardized motor test—the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS)—and non-standardized observation of movement quality carried out before the age of three
Follow-up studies of mostly prematurely born children suggest that cerebral palsy (CP) and DCD may be associated with poor motor performance already at a very young age [7,13,15,16]
Summary
Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder, a lifelong condition that makes it hard to learn motor skills and coordination. Despite DCD being one of the most common childhood neurodevelopmental disorders, affecting 1.8 to 6% of school-aged children [2], it is often misunderstood and frequently not diagnosed until school-age if at all [3]. The latest revision of these guidelines no longer explicitly excludes a diagnosis before the age of three but recommends limiting the diagnosis before the age of five to severe cases. In such instances, the decision to make a diagnosis should be based on the findings from at least two motor assessments carried out at least three months apart. Early identification of developmental disorders is crucial to provide a basis for an appropriate educational and treatment program, to enhance quality of life of the child and parents, and to prevent or minimize physical, emotional, and behavioral consequences [5–7]
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