Differences in Several Coordination and Precision Tests in 11-year-old Children from Kosovo

Motor research on individual differences views coordination abilities as major determinants of motor achievements in sports. The concept of coordination abilities is based on quantitative models such as factor analyses in which it is assumed that persons possess the same number of abilities as the number of dimensions being analyzed. One criticism of quantitative approaches is that they are unable to distinguish between person and item characteristics. Qualitative formal models such as latent-class analyses are useful to distinguish explicitly between person and item characteristics. In this study 503 participants had to complete 6 gross-motor coordination tasks split into precision and time-pressure tasks. Applying both latent-class analyses and the mixed-Rasch analyses by Rost (1990, 1991), the precision tasks represented 1 strategy, whereas the 2 qualitatively different strategies were needed to represent the time-pressure tasks. The results of this study demonstrate how fruitful the application of latent-class analyses and the mixed-Rasch model can be in detecting strategies that persons can choose to use in executing motor items. The appropriate differentiation of person and item characteristics might be a helpful distinction to further develop the differential motor research.

1. The responses of the first dorsal interosseus (1DI), opponens pollicis (OP), extensor digitorum communis (EDC), brachioradialis (BR), biceps brachii (BB) and anterior deltoid (AD) muscles to magnetic stimulation of the motor cortex were recorded during different motor tasks. 2. Two precision and two power isometric tasks were investigated. The precision tasks were a pincer grip ('grip') and a thrust against a target with the wrist ('push'). In the former, the prime movers were the intrinsic hand muscles, while the proximal muscles played a postural role. In the latter, the prime movers were the proximal muscles. In both tasks, force was controlled through visual feedback. The power tasks required encirclement of a cylinder with the fingers ('grasp'), or sustaining a weight suspended at wrist level ('load'). 3. Magnetic stimulation was applied in eight subjects by a coil placed over the vertex at 1.1-1.2 times the motor threshold for the most excitable muscles. This produced in the prime mover muscles larger motor-evoked responses (MEPs) during grip or push tasks than grasp or load tasks, in spite of similar background EMG levels. During grip tasks, only one of the two prime movers showed task-dependent changes. In the postural muscle AD there was no significant difference between MEPs during grip and grasp tasks; however, BB responses were larger during grasp than grip tasks. 4. MEPs simultaneously recorded in the prime movers were plotted against each other. The slope of the regression line for AD versus BB was larger in push than load tasks, whilst the changes in MEPs of 1DI and OP were independent during both grip and grasp tasks. 5. In three subjects, MEPs were also elicited by electrical stimulation during grip and grasp tasks. MEP changes tended to parallel those obtained for magnetic stimulation, but the increase in size of the electrically evoked MEPs during the precision task was smaller. 6. In all subjects the median and ulnar nerves were stimulated during grip and grasp tasks, and an H reflex was evoked in the hand muscles of five subjects. In no case did the two tasks produce reflexes of different amplitude. 7. The motor response of both proximal and distal muscles can be task dependent, in spite of the differences in their principal functional role and cortical representation. The modulation is related to the degree of control requested by the task, and is likely to reflect selective changes in the excitability of corticospinal neurones.

Stunting is associated with the increased risk of sickness and death, slow motoric development, and the delay of mental growth. Stunting can lead to delays in motoric systems development, whether in normal children or in people with a certain disease. The decreased motor function in stunting children without congenital abnormalities related to the low mechanical capability of triceps muscles due to the slow development of muscle function. This research was conducted to know the difference in motor development of stunting and non-stunting in toddlers in the service area of Sentolo I Public Health Centre (PHC), Kulon Progo. This research uses analytical methods of observational with Cross-Sectional Study design. The subjects of this study are 110 stunting and non-stunting children. The samples were taken with consecutive sampling techniques. Methods of data used questionnaires and direct measurement using the height measuring instruments and Denver II sheets. The analysis applies to the chi-squared test. The results show 71.7% of children with stunting in the suspect category on fine motor development, 60.4% of the children with stunting in the suspect category on gross motor development. The results of the statistical test show the score of p-value 0.016 for children in the suspect category on fine motor development and p-value 0.014 for children in the suspect category on gross motor development. The p-value score is < 0.05, meaning there is a significant difference in motoric development stunting and non-stunting children in the service area of Sentolo I PHC, Kulon Progo.

To describe a new clinical tool, the Rett Syndrome Motor Evaluation Scale (RESMES) and to assess (loco-)motor function in people with Rett syndrome (RTT). Formal assessment provided by physicians was followed by parents' direct observation at home using the RESMES. Sixty females (mean [SD] age 12y 5mo [8y 9mo], range 3-40y) with a clinical diagnosis and genetically determined RTT participated in the study. Spearman's/Pearson's coefficients assessed the correlation between the clinicians' and caregivers' evaluations, as well as the correlation of RESMES scores with other scales, namely the Pain Assessment in Advanced Dementia, the Rett Assessment Rating Scale, the Modified Ashworth Scale, and hand function (assessed with a scale of evaluation of purposeful hand function). Scores provided by parents and clinicians were tested statistically by Mann-Whitney U test. Approximately 88% of patients had moderate to severe RTT symptoms and, on average, moderate motor impairment based on the RESMES. RESMES total scores provided by clinicians and caregivers were highly correlated (r=0.91), as were the subscale scores. Postural transition was a critical area of the RESMES, where parents systematically provided lower scores than clinicians, indicating milder degrees of disability. Severity of scoliosis and mutation type emerged as significant predictors of motor function. The RESMES characterized the (loco-)motor impairments of the patients with RTT well. It also showed a close correlation between the evaluations of clinicians and caregivers, with the possible exception of postural transition tasks, which should be carefully addressed in a clinical setting. The type of mutation and presence of scoliosis should be evaluated, as they predicted the ability to walk. Caregivers at home can reliably assess motor function in Rett syndrome using the Rett Syndrome Motor Evaluation Scale (RESMES). RESMES scores provided by clinicians and parents were highly correlated. The severity of scoliosis and the genetic mutation predicted standing and walking abilities.

Stunting is a global problem faced by the world and often occurs in children aged 3 – 5 years. The negative impact that will be caused by stunting in the 3-5 year age period in the long term is the disruption of children's psychosocial and motoric development. This study aims to see the relationship between motor and psychosocial development with stunting in preschool children (3 – 5 years) at the Baluse Health Center, Sigi Regency. The research design used was a cross-sectional study that assessed the relationship between motor and psychosocial development and stunting in preschool children (aged 3 – 5 years). The population used in this study were all preschool children (aged 3 – 5 years) with stunting in the Puskemas Baluse. The number of samples was 25 respondents who met the criteria for the research sample. The research was carried out at the Baluse Health Center, Sigi Regency from October 5 to 20, 2020. The research instrument used a questionnaire to measure the motoric and psychosocial development of children, while the measurement of stunting used microtoise and children's scales. The closeness and strength of the relationship between the two variables in this study used the Chi-Square statistical test. The results showed that most of the motor and psychosocial developments were in the abnormal category. The test of the relationship between motor and psychosocial development and stunting was carried out using the Chi-Square statistical test. The results showed that the P-value = 0.016 is smaller than the alpha value of 0.05, this indicates that stunting has a significant relationship with the motoric and psychosocial development of children. This study concludes that stunting has a relationship with motor and psychosocial development of children aged 3 – 5 years. Stunting children mostly have an abnormal motor and psychosocial development.

Structural modeling of information coordination abilities: An evaluation and extension of the Yee, Hunt, and Pellegrino model

Overweight and obese infants present lower cognitive and motor development scores than normal-weight peers

PURPOSE: The motor development of children with congenital heart disease (CHD) is often deficient due to a lack of physical exercise. It was the aim of this study to evaluate such deficits in motor development and investigate if they can be reduced by a special psychomotor training program. METHODS: Between 1994 and 1996 three groups of children participated in an 8 month psychomotor training program, consisting of 1.5 hour weekly sessions. The sample comprised a total of 38 children between the ages of 7.2 and 14.4 years (10.4 ± 1.7 yrs). The 38 children presented with a variety of congenital heart diseases (spectrum: single ventricle to fully corrected heart defects). We used the body-coordination-test (KTK) for children (SCHILLING, 1974) to examine the motor development of the children before and after the program. RESULTS: The pre-test results demonstrate deficits in the motor development of the child-participants. According to the classification scheme of Schilling (1974) the complete KTK-motorquotient showed in the pre-test 2.8% of the children with good and 36.1% with normal motor development. 22.2% had moderate 38.9% sever motor disturbance. In the post-test 11.1% of the CHD-children could be classified with good and 50% with normal motor development, 8.3% still showed moderate and 30.6% severe motor disturbance. The results of the total KTK-motorquotient (GMQ) and its subtests (MQ1-4) improved significantly due to the program (GMQ from 83.0 ± 16.4 to 92.9 ± 18.2; MQ1 from 87.7 ± 15.4 to 94.0 ± 17.3; MQ2 from 91.1 ± 17.2 to 93.8 ± 16.3; MQ3 from 86.6 ± 18.3 to 97.2 ± 16.1; MQ4 from 82.3 ± 13.6 to 93.5 ± 16.5). CONCLUSION: The pre-test results showed that 63.2% of the child-participants suffered from deficits in motor development. The complete MQ improved significantly following the psychomotor training program, as demonstrated by the post-test, where 61% of the children were classified as having “normal motor development” or better. These results emphasise the need for special psychomotor training programs for CHD-children. Such programs should begin at an early age to avoid initial deficiencies in motor functional development and, if necessary, to catch up on movement experiences. Also, preventative strategies whose aim it is to integrate CHD-children in kindergarten and school sports and normal outdoor activity should be implemented to the fullest to counteract the effect of this cardiac diagnosis.

Teachers of young children know the importance of designing developmentally appropriate activities to encourage motor development but are not always prepared with the information they need to accomplish this design. When teachers choose movement activities, motor development theory must be understood and utilized in the planning of activities to ensure that the choice of the movement task, equipment, and the movement environment interact to encourage developmentally appropriate movement experiences. Basic motor development theory is explained as the basis for examples of appropriate movement tasks for young children.

The gross motor development of a typically developing infant is a dynamic process, the intra-individual variability of which can be investigated through longitudinal assessments. Changes in gross motor development vary, according to the interaction of multiple sub-systems within the child, environment, task setting, and experience or practice of movement. At present, studies on environmental factors that influence gross motor development in full-term infants over time are limited. The main aim of this study was to investigate environmental factors affecting intra-individual variability from birth to 13 months. The gross motor development of 41 full-term infants was longitudinally assessed every month from the age of 15 days using the Alberta Infant Motor Scale. Parents were interviewed monthly about environmental factors during childcare. Infants showed fluctuations in the percentile of gross motor development, and no systematic pattern was detected. The total mean range of gross motor percentile was 65.95 (SD = 15.74; SEM = 2.28). The percentiles of gross motor skills over the 14 assessments ranged from 36 to 93 percentile points. Factors that were significantly associated with the gross motor development percentile were the use of a baby walker (Coef. = −8.83, p ≤ 0.0001) and a baby hammock (Coef. = 7.33, p = 0.04). The use of baby hammocks could increase the gross motor percentile by 7.33 points. Although the usage of a baby walker is common practice in childcare, it may cause a decrease in the gross motor percentile by 8.83 points according to this study. In conclusion, healthy full-term infants exhibited a natural variability in gross motor development. Placing infants in a baby walker during the first year of age should be approached with caution due to the risk of delayed gross motor development.

Early childhood motor development, particularly balance and coordination skills, is strongly influenced by the type of physical activities provided. One appropriate form of physical activity is push bike training. A push bike is a pedal-less bicycle that enables children to develop body control, maintain stability, and improve coordination through foot propulsion and balance regulation. This study aimed to examine the effect of push bike training on improving balance and coordination abilities in early childhood at the Surabaya Runbike Kids Club. The research employed a quasi experimental method using a Pretest Posttest Control Group Design. The participants consisted of 10 children aged 5–6 years, divided into an experimental group and a control group, with five children in each group. The research instruments included a straight line walking test to assess balance and a lateral jump test to measure coordination. Data analysis was conducted using the Shapiro Wilk test, Levene’s test, Paired Sample t-Test, and Independent Sample t-Test. The results indicated a significant improvement in the experimental group for both balance and coordination skills. Significant differences were also found between the experimental and control groups in posttest scores for balance and coordination. In conclusion, push bike training is effective in enhancing balance and coordination abilities in early childhood.

Brief, prior, exposure to red decreases categorical and coordinate spatial task performance

ObjectivesAutism spectrum disorders(ASD)describe a wide range of pervasive developmental disorders by core symptoms including deficits in social communication and interaction, as well as restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped behaviors. At the same time, some children with autism are accompanied by motor development disorder. Many studies have confirmed that the motor development impairment was significantly associated with the social problems associated with ASD. Thus, this study aimed to investigate how motor development affects social adaptability in children with ASD to provide references for early ASD intervention.Materials and methodsThe case data of children’s health care were selected in 2021. Motor development was assessed with the Developmental Behavior Assessment Scale for Children Aged 0–6 years. Social adaptability was measured using the Japanese S-M Social Living Skills Scale. Statistical analysis was conducted with SPSS 22.0 software package. Data were analyzed using independent samples t-test and logistic regression.ResultsA total of 198 cases comprising 140 boys (70.71%) and 58 girls (29.29%) were included, and the average age of participants was 3.40 ± 1.06 years, with 3.33 ± 1.18 years in the typical development (TD) children group and 3.46 ± 0.95 years in the ASD group. The social adaptability of 107 ASD children was abnormal, including 37 children (34.5%) with marginal, 48 children (44.9%) with mild, 17 children (15.9%) with moderate, and 5 children (4.7%) with severe. In 91 TD children, there were 51 children (56.04%) with normal social adaptability, 38 children (41.75%) with marginal, 2 children (2.19%) with mild, and nobody with moderate or severe. The ASD children had lower levels of developmental behavior than those of TD children, and the difference was statistically significant. The results of logistic regression showed that fine motor increased by 1 unit, and the OR value of one level decreased in social adaptability was 2.24 times (OR = e0.807 = 2.24).ConclusionIn children with ASD, not only motor development is delayed, but also social adaptability is affected, and fine motor skill may be important for social adaptability.

Objective : To gauge the gross and fine motor development of early treated phenylketonuria (ETPKU) in children in the age range of 1-4 years. Methods : A cross-sectional analytic study was conducted in PKU clinics (reference clinics for PKU follow-up), Tehran, Iran. Seventy children with ETPKU were selected as the case group for the study. ETPKU children were those with early and continuous treatment with a phenylalanine-restricted diet (the mean of blood phenylalanine level during the recent 6 months was 2-6 mg/dL or 120-360 μmol/L). Also, 100 healthy and normal children matched with the ETPKU group for age were randomly selected from 4 kindergartens in four parts of Tehran as a control group. The measurements consisted of a demographic questionnaire, Peabody Developmental Motor Scale-2 (PDMS-2), and pediatrician assessment. Motor quotients were determined by PDMS-2 and then compared in both groups by two independent samples t-test. Results : The mean ages in case and control group were 28.5 (± 11.6) and 29.7 (± 11.3) months, respectively. Comparison of the mean fine, gross, and total developmental motor quotients (DMQs) showed statistically significant differences between the two groups (p < 0.05). The fine and total DMQs of ETPKU children were also correlated with age. In addition, there was a negative correlation between the phenylalanine level and fine (p < 0.001) and total (p = 0.001) DMQs. Conclusion : It seems that ETPKU Iranian children, regardless of following a phenylalanine-restricted diet or not, have lower motor development. It is recommended to plan programs for early detection and intervention of developmental delays in these children.

The coordination of compensatory tracking and anticipatory timing tasks