Abstract
Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) and children at risk for DCD (r-DCD) present motor impairments interfering in their school, leisure and daily activities. In addition, these children may have abnormalities in their cardiac autonomic control, which together with their motor impairments, restrict their health and functionality. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the cardiac autonomic control, by linear and nonlinear analysis, at supine and during an orthostatic stimulus in DCD, r-DCD and typically developed children. Thirteen DCD children (11 boys and 2 girls, aged 8.08 ± 0.79 years), 19 children at risk for DCD (13 boys and 6 girls, aged 8.10 ± 0.96 years) and 18 typically developed children, who constituted the control group (CG) (10 boys and 8 girls, aged 8.50 ± 0.96 years) underwent a heart rate variability (HRV) examination. R-R intervals were recorded in order to assess the cardiac autonomic control using a validated HR monitor. HRV was analyzed by linear and nonlinear methods and compared between r-DCD, DCD, and CG. The DCD group presented blunted cardiac autonomic adjustment to the orthostatic stimulus, which was not observed in r-DCD and CG. Regarding nonlinear analysis of HRV, the DCD group presented lower parasympathetic modulation in the supine position compared to the r-DCD and CG groups. In the within group analysis, only the DCD group did not increase HR from supine to standing posture. Symbolic analysis revealed a significant decrease in 2LV (p < 0.0001) and 2UV (p < 0.0001) indices from supine to orthostatic posture only in the CG. In conclusion, r-DCD and DCD children present cardiac autonomic dysfunction characterized by higher sympathetic, lower parasympathetic and lower complexity of cardiac autonomic control in the supine position, as well as a blunted autonomic adjustment to the orthostatic stimulus. Therefore, cardiovascular health improvement should be part of DCD children's management, even in cases of less severe motor impairment.
Highlights
Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is a disorder of motor coordination that significantly impairs the motor actions in children in different age groups (Harris et al, 2015)
Ninety-seven children were screened for eligibility according to the guidelines for DCD diagnostic based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders fifth edition (DSM-V) (American Psychiatric Association, 2013)
control group (CG) presented higher MABC-2 total score compared to DCD (p < 0.01) and risk for DCD (r-DCD) (p < 0.01)
Summary
Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is a disorder of motor coordination that significantly impairs the motor actions in children in different age groups (Harris et al, 2015). DCD related motor impairments contribute to restricting children’s engagement with tasks involving accuracy and speed of movement (Licari et al, 2015; Wilson et al, 2017), which might cause fear of frustration and/or embarrassment (Cummins et al, 2005). These children are more likely to choose solitary tasks and with more sedentary characteristics (Sylvestre et al, 2013). Children with DCD have lower levels of habitual physical activity (Hendrix et al, 2014) tending to develop overweight and obesity (Cermak et al, 2015), increasing the risk for developing cardiovascular diseases (Rivilis et al, 2011)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
