Motor performance in 5‐year‐old preschool children with developmental speech and language disorders

Abstract

The aim of the study was to evaluate motor performance in 5-year-old children with mild-to-moderate developmental speech and language disorders (DSLD) in comparison of age- and gender-matched healthy children. A total of 32 DSLD children and 45 control group (CG) children participated in our study. The children were examined for dexterity skills and gross motor function through vertical jumping performance, maximal isometric strength of the leg extensors and isometric hand-grip strength. Dexterity skills did not differ significantly in the measured groups, but DSLD children performed more poorly in gross motor tasks. DSLD children demonstrated significantly lower vertical jumping height compared to CG children. DSLD girls had lower isometric strength of the leg extensors compared to all other measured groups. The hand-grip strength was greater in CG boys compared to all other measured groups. No significant differences in this parameter were observed between CG girls and DSLD children, although DSLD girls' result was the lowest. In children with mild-to-moderate DSLD, the lag of gross motor development is clearly evident; however, they do not differ from CG children in dexterity skills. DSLD girls had more affected gross motor function compared to DSLD boys.