Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire Research Articles

EFFECTIVENESS OF VESTIBULAR STIMULATION IN CHILDREN WITH DEVELOPMENTAL COORDINATION DISORDER

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to find out the effects of vestibular stimulation in developmental coordination disorder (DCD) children.
 Methodology: Thirty children (n=30) were screened using the DCD questionnaire (DCDQ). After baseline screening among the 30 children, 15 were confirmed as suspects of DCD. Vestibular stimulation was given for all the 15 children.
 Results: It is revealed that the motor coordination was improved significantly in children with DCD.
 Conclusion: The present study concluded that vestibular stimulation is effective to enhance performance in tasks requiring motor coordination.

Motor intervention with and without Nintendo\xae Wii for children with developmental coordination disorder: protocol for a randomized clinical trial

BackgroundDespite the benefits highlighted by motor interventions based on virtual reality for children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), there are still doubts as to whether these are greater than those obtained with conventional interventions due to the absence of systematized protocols, and lack of evidence. Here, we present a protocol to systematically compare the effects of two motor-training programs (one Nintendo® Wii-based and the other no-Wii motor activities) on the motor learning in children with DCD.Methods/designTwo intervention protocols (one based on Nintendo® Wii and the other no-Wii motor activities) will be carried out, with interventions occurring twice a week in 60-min sessions, with a minimum of 12 and a maximum of 16 sessions per child.The protocols were developed based on the domains of the Movement Assessment Battery for Children – Second Edition (MABC-2) (Manual Dexterity, Aiming and Catching, Balance), with two activities for each of the MABC − two domains. The study will include children aged 7 to 10 years with a total MABC-2 score ≤ 16, and a Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (DCDQ) score < 46 (age of 7 years), score < 55 (age group of 8 to 9 years and 11 months), or score < 57 (age of 10 years) as scored by the parents. Children will be randomly allocated by draw in one of the two intervention protocols. MABC-2 and DCDQ will be applied before and after intervention to evaluate the effects of the interventions on motor performance and parents’ perception, respectively. Motor learning will be assessed by means of the scores obtained in the games. Evaluators and therapists will be trained and evaluators will be blind regarding the data of the children in the study.DiscussionOwing to its motivating aspects, training with Nintendo® Wii may be particularly beneficial for children with DCD. The results of this study protocol should help researchers and therapists to better understand the benefits of Nintendo® Wii-based motor intervention over those obtained with no-Wii interventions in children with DCD. It should also create references about more systematized protocols for replication in clinical practice, seeking the improvement of the motor components of these children.Trial registrationRBR-89ydgj

Coordination difficulties, IQ and psychopathology in children with high-risk copy number variants.

The prevalence and impact of motor coordination difficulties in children with copy number variants associated with neurodevelopmental disorders (ND-CNVs) remains unknown. This study aims to advance understanding of motor coordination difficulties in children with ND-CNVs and establish relationships between intelligence quotient (IQ) and psychopathology. 169 children with an ND-CNV (67% male, median age = 8.88 years, range 6.02-14.81) and 72 closest-in-age unaffected siblings (controls; 55% male, median age = 10.41 years, s.d. = 3.04, range 5.89-14.75) were assessed with the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire, alongside psychiatric interviews and standardised assessments of IQ. The children with ND-CNVs had poorer coordination ability (b = 28.98, p < 0.001) and 91% of children with an ND-CNV screened positive for suspected developmental coordination disorder, compared to 19% of controls (OR = 42.53, p < 0.001). There was no difference in coordination ability between ND-CNV genotypes (F = 1.47, p = 0.184). Poorer coordination in children with ND-CNV was associated with more attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (β = -0.18, p = 0.021) and autism spectrum disorder trait (β = -0.46, p < 0.001) symptoms, along with lower full-scale (ß = 0.21, p = 0.011), performance (β = -0.20, p = 0.015) and verbal IQ (β = 0.17, p = 0.036). Mediation analysis indicated that coordination ability was a full mediator of anxiety symptoms (69% mediated, p = 0.012), and a partial mediator of ADHD (51%, p = 0.001) and autism spectrum disorder trait symptoms (66%, p < 0.001) as well as full scale IQ (40%, p = 0.002), performance IQ (40%, p = 0.005) and verbal IQ (38%, p = 0.006) scores. The findings indicate that poor motor coordination is highly prevalent and closely linked to risk of mental health disorder and lower intellectual function in children with ND-CNVs. Future research should explore whether early interventions for poor coordination ability could ameliorate neurodevelopmental risk.

Associations Between the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire – Brazilian Version (DCDQ-BR) and Motor Competence in School-Age Children

Aim: Parental screening of children’s motor skills can be helpful for early identification of Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). The present study examined the associations between the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire – Brazilian version (DCDQ-BR) and motor competence in school-age children.Methods: 707 children (332 boys, 375 girls) aged between 6- to 10-years and one of their parents participated in the study. Parents completed the DCDQ-BR and children’s motor competence was determined using the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency – 2nd edition (BOT-2).Results: The agreement between the BOT-2 and DCDQ-BR results was comparable across age, ranging from 74-84 percent. In general, there were low- to moderate correlations between all aspects of the parent report and children’s motor competence. Sensitivity and specificity of the DCDQ-BR were 70% and 81%, respectively. Overall, boys had higher motor competence than girls, but parent reports were similar for gender.Conclusions: Parental assessment of their child’s motor ability is moderately associated with motor competence, and this association is similar for boys and girls, even though boys scored higher in motor competence. Our findings suggest that it may be possible to reduce the length of clinical assessment by only testing children that flag as suspect for DCD in the DCDQ-BR.

RECONSIDERING THE USE OF CUT-OFF SCORES: DCDQ - BRAZIL

ABSTRACT Introduction: The DCDQ is a parental report designed to assess daily living activities of children, and serves as a useful questionnaire to aid in the diagnostic criteria of Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). It is divided into three components: control during movement, fine motor/handwriting, and general coordination. The results categorize children in two groups: “Indication of DCD/suspect DCD”, and “probably not DCD”. Objective: The objective of this study was to determine appropriate cut-off scores for the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire - Brazil (DCDQ-BR) for use with Brazilian children employing a large sample. Methods: Seven hundred and seven children ages 6-10 were assessed with the DCDQ-BR and the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOT-2). Descriptive statistics was used to characterize the sample, and concurrent validity was assessed using Pearson's Correlation Coefficient. Predictive validity was determined through values of sensitivity (S) and specificity (E), while ROC curves were used to determine the optimal cut-off score for the DCDQ-BR. Results: Pearson's correlation coefficient analysis revealed a significant correlation between total scores of the DCDQ-BR and BOT-2 (r= 0.55 (p=0.00). Cut-off scores for the DCDQ-BR based on the BOT-2 17th percentile (relating to below average descriptive category) were established as ≤40, ≤46 and ≤51 for ages 6-7 years and 11 months; 8-9 years and 11 months; and 10-10 years and 11 months, respectively. Conclusion: Based on the results of this study and previous literature suggesting the need for a reevaluation of cut-off scores for the Brazilian population with a larger sample, we recommend that the cut-off scores of the DCDQ-BR are adjusted to the values found with our sample. Level of evidence II; Diagnostic studies – Investigating a diagnostic test.

Psychometric assessment of the French European Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (DCDQ-FE).

BackgroundThe Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire’07 (DCDQ’07) is a parent-report measure to identify children at risk for Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). We developed a French version of the DCDQ’07 (DCDQ-FE) that has shown excellent inter-language reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) = 0.91) and is culturally relevant for use in European countries. The aims of this study were to examine the internal consistency, test-retest reliability, construct validity of the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire-French European (DCDQ-FE), as well as establish a cut-off score.MethodsThe psychometric properties of the DCDQ-FE were examined with a clinical group of 30 children (mean age: 9.4 years, SD = 2.6) and a control group of 43 children (mean age: 9.1 years, SD = 2.4). Their parents (n = 73) filled out the DCDQ-FE at a first sitting and 70 of them filled it out 38 days later in average for test-retest reliability. The children were assessed using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 (MABC-2) so as to measure the convergent validity of the DCDQ-FE. The cut-off score was determined with an additional sample of 42 children according to scores on the MABC-2 (≥ 16th percentile) (n = 115).Results and implicationsInternal consistency of the DCDQ-FE was excellent (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.96) and test-retest reliability was good (ICC = 0.956) with no differences between scores obtained at the two sittings (p > 0.05). Differences in scores between children in the clinical and control groups (Z = -6.58, p < 0.001) provide evidence of construct validity. The correlation obtained between DCDQ-FE and MABC-2 scores (Spearman’s rho correlation coefficient = 0.802, p < 0.001) supports convergent validity. Using a cut-off of 56, overall sensitivity and specificity were 85.0% and 81.6% respectively (area under the curve = 0.896). The DCDQ-FE is a reliable and valid questionnaire for detecting children who are at risk for DCD in a European-French population of children aged 5 to 15 years old.

Risk of Developmental Coordination Disorder in Italian very preterm children at school age compared to general population controls

Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that involves difficulties in goal-directed motor coordination, with ineffective control of fine and gross motor movements in the absence of sensory impairment or neurological condition. DCD is frequently reported in children born very preterm (VP) who survive without CP. To measure the risk of DCD at school age in a large area-based cohort of VP children and general population controls, adjusting for gender, birth weight by gestational age and age at assessment. VP children (N=608) were part of a prospective cohort study in Italy. Controls (N=370) were participants in the DCDQ-Italian validation study in the same age range. The Italian version of Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (DCDQ-Italian) was used to measure the performances in motor coordination during ordinary activities from the parental point of view. Multivariable regression analysis was used to obtain adjusted risk ratios of screening positive for DCD. VP children had scores significantly lower than peers, and about 30% of them appeared at risk of DCD using the 15th percentile cut-off of the Italian validation study. Birth-weight <10th percentile for gestational age and male gender were significant predictors. A slight trend effect was present, with extremely preterm children (<28 weeks gestation) showing the highest risk. Our study confirmed the higher DCD risk in VP children, particularly when males and SGA.

Evaluation of Cardiac Autonomic Control System changes following Motor Training Program on Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder: A Pilot Study

Introduction: DCD is a developmental disorder which results in motor coordination difficulties. Children with DCD present abnormalities with cardiac autonomic control; it is a non-invasive marker for assessing the risk of a cardiovascular event. However, till date, no studies have examined the effects of cardiac autonomic control system in children with DCD. Objective: To evaluate the effects of a 8-session of motor skill training programme on the cardiac autonomic control and motor performance in children with DCD. Methods: After successful screening of participants using MABC-2, 10 children were included into the study after being positively screening for DCD and the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire is also used to confirm the DCD based on the age specific scores in the guidelines. Result: Motor training protocol decreased the overall HRV and cardiac parasympathetic modulation, which was clear, since decreased HRV has been associated with increased risk for cardiovascular events. Conclusion: 6-session motor skills training programme is effective in increasing motor skills performance and in altering cardiac autonomic modulation

Specificity and sensitivity of the DCDQ for children aged 8 to 10 years in Brazil

Objectives: To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (DCDQ) – Brazil for a group of children aged 8, 9 and 10 years, using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (Mabc-2) as the gold standard, and to identify the cut-off point for each specific age. Method: We evaluated the motor skills of 100 students through DCDQ-Brazil and Mabc-2. The collected data were submitted to statistical analysis of association; cut-off points were defined through the Youden index and Roc curve (Receiver Operator Characteristic). This survey was submitted and approved by the Ethics Committee of Research on Human Beings of the Federal University of São Carlos (CEP-UFSCar). Results: The data revealed that DCDQ-Brazil does not show satisfactory validity for the analyzed Brazilian context in the sample of children aged 8 and 10, because the cut-off points are higher than what was defined in this research, in a ratio that varies from 4 to 7 points. Conclusions: there is need for future investigations on the data regarding the age of 9 years in order to use the DCDQ adapted to Brazilian children aged 8-10 years, in order to favor the early identification of DCD.

Cross-Cultural Adaptation of the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire in Turkish Children.

The Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (DCDQ'07) is an instrument for screening children between 5 and 15 years of age. Although it is popular, this instrument has not been adapted for use with Turkish children, and there is no valid similar screening tool in Turkey. Thus, this study aimed to provide a cross-cultural adaptation of the DCDQ'07 for Turkish children. We performed the translation process using well-established cross-cultural adaptation guidelines, and we recruited 736 parents (361 males, 375 females) of typically developing children with a mean ( M) age of 9.27 years (standard deviation = 2 years 5 months, range: 5.0-14.9 years). We determined the internal consistency of the questionnaire by item and total score correlations, Cronbach's α and item-deleted Cronbach's α. Intraclass correlation coefficients were used to determine test-retest reliability after an interval of 5 days. The Cronbach's α of the Turkish DCDQ'07 was .890 for the total questionnaire. All the item-deleted Cronbach's α values were lower than the total value of .890, except the bull in a China shop item (Cronbach's α values .896). Test-retest reliability ranged from .99 to 1.00. The Turkish DCDQ is a valid and reliable screening tool for assessing the motor performance of children between 5 and 15 years of age.

Daily motor characteristics in children with developmental coordination disorder and in children with specific learning disorder.

An association between learning disorders and coordination problems has been reported in several studies over the last few decades. In this study, we have investigated daily motor characteristics in children with a diagnosis of specific learning disorder (SLD) and compared them with those of children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) and those of typically developing controls. Ninety-six children aged 5 to 12years were included: 29 with a diagnosis of SLD, 33 of DCD, and 34 controls. The Italian version of the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire 2007 (DCDQ-Italian) was used to measure children's coordination in everyday functional activities. The mean DCDQ-Italian total score was significantly lower in both SLD and DCD groups as compared with controls. Regarding subscores, both clinical groups scored significantly lower than controls on "Fine motor/handwriting" skills and on "General coordination." The DCD group scored also significantly lower than controls on "Control during movement." Moreover, clinical groups differed from each other, with SLD children scoring significantly higher on "Control during movement" and "General coordination" subscores. SLD children diverged from typically developing children in some motor skills during ordinary activities, and although this discrepancy was not as severe as in DCD children, it could have an impact on self-esteem and sport inclusion.

Can motor development at age seven predict spinal pain at age eleven?

Introduction The combination of three arguments has led us to hypothesize that improvement of early motor skills might have potential for prevention of spinal pain: –a large body of experimental and clinical research implicates disordered motor control, or core stability, in adults with low back pain; –there is evidence that spinal pain originates in childhood or adolescence; –motor development deficits observed in childhood have been shown to track into adolescence. This study is a first step in this line of inquiry and aims to investigate the relationship between motor skills and coordination at age seven and spinal pain at age eleven. Methods The mothers of 43,000 seven-year-old children answered the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (DCDQ), which has three subscales: ‘control during movement’, ‘fine motor skills’ and ‘general coordination’. At age eleven, 30,000 of these children answered a questionnaire (YSQ) about frequency and intensity of cervical, thoracic and lumbar pain. Pain was described as either ‘pain’ or ‘severe pain’, both with a frequency of ‘sometimes’ or ‘often’. ‘Pain’ required an intensity of ≥ 2 on the FacesPainScale-Revised (FPS-R) (equivalent to ≥ 3 on an 11-point scale) and ‘severe pain’ ≥ 3 on the FPS-R (equivalent to ≥ 5 on an 11-point scale). Associations were explored by logistic regression analyses and all estimates were adjusted for sex, mother's schooling, height, and weight at age 7. Results The total DCDQ score was significantly associated with spinal pain (OR: 1.29; 95% CI: 1.10–1.50). This association was driven by associations with cervical and thoracic pain; there was no association with lumbar pain detected. The general coordination subscale score was the strongest predictor of pain. Compared to the children in the top 10%, those in the bottom 10% had higher odds of cervical (OR: 1.42, 95% CI: 1.18–1.69), and thoracic pain (OR: 1.51; 95% CI: 1.18–1.92). The results were almost identical for severe pain. Conclusions Other health-related aspects or psychological factors are not included in these analyses and their influence on the shown associations is unknown. Future research should explore the relationship between motor skills, health and psychological measures to optimize strategies for improving spinal health. In the prevention of spinal pain, motor- and coordination skills may be a possible risk indicator and a potential target for intervention.

Socio-demographic factors influences on guardians’ perception of Developmental Coordination Disorder among Brazilian schoolchildren

Abstract AIM The objective of this study was to identify socio-demographic factors that are associated with the guardians’ perception of developmental coordination disorder among schoolchildren from seven to ten years old. METHODS The parents/guardians of 361 children completed the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (DCDQ) and a socio-demographic questionnaire in this cross-sectional study. The univariate relationship between the DCDQ and socio-demographic factors was tested by the chi-square test. The odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval was calculated. Socio-demographic variables with p≤0.20 were included in the logistic regression analysis. RESULTS The child's age (B = 0.40; OR = 1.49; p <0.01) and the guardian undergoing treatment for illness (B = 0.97; OR = 2.65; p = 0.02) were retained in the final regression model. CONCLUSION Thus, increasing children’s’ age and guardians undergoing treatment for illness increased the guardians’perception of developmental coordination disorder.

Efficacy of Hippotherapy Versus Pharmacotherapy in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Pharmacotherapy among children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is effective, but many patients suffer from secondary psychiatric problems even after improvement of ADHD core symptoms. Hippotherapy have been used as adjunct treatment options for physical and psychosocial rehabilitation as well as to ameliorate core symptoms. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Hippotherapy versus pharmacotherapy for children with ADHD. Thirty-four participants with ADHD were randomly assigned at a 1:1 ratio to either 24 sessions of a twice-weekly hippotherapy or pharmacotherapy. To assess therapeutic effects, the ADHD Rating Scale (ARS) was used pretreatment and posttreatment as the primary outcome measure. Secondary outcomes included the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), Self-Esteem Scale (SES), Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) child and parent report version, Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (DCDQ), Clinical Global Impressions-Severity (CGI-S), and quantitative electroencephalography. Both groups showed marked improvements in ADHD symptoms, CGI-S. No significant differences between groups were detected regarding treatment outcome except thought problem subscales of CBCL. Twelve weeks of hippotherapy improved attention, impulsivity/hyperactivity, and quality of life. This trial is promising, but further studies are required to evaluate the long-term clinical effectiveness of hippotherapy. The study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT 02482649.

Neurodevelopmental outcomes in children with large temporal arachnoid cysts.

OBJECTIVE Management of children with large temporal arachnoid cysts (TACs) remains controversial, with limited data available on their neurodevelopmental outcome. The aim of this study was to examine neurodevelopmental outcomes in children with large TACs. METHODS In this medical center-based cohort study, 25 patients (19 males) who were diagnosed in childhood with large TACs (9 patients [36%] with a Galassi type II and 16 patients [64%] with a Galassi type III TAC) were examined. The mean ± SD age at assessment was 11.1 ± 5.6 years (range 2.7-22 years). Twelve patients (48%) had right-sided, 12 (48%) had left-sided, and 1 (4%) had bilateral cysts. Nine patients (36%) underwent surgery for the cyst. The siblings of 21 patients (84%) served as control participants. Neurodevelopmental function was assessed using the Adaptive Behavior Assessment System (ABAS), Vanderbilt Behavioral Rating Scale (VBRS), and Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (DCDQ), and quality of life was measured using the treatment-oriented screening questionnaire (TOSQ). The results of all instruments except for TOSQ were compared with those of the sibling control participants. RESULTS The mean ± SD ABAS score of the patients was 93.3 ± 20.09 compared with 98.3 ± 18.04 of the sibling control participants (p = 0.251). Regarding the incidence of poor outcome (ABAS score < 80), there was a trend for more patients with TAC to have poor outcome than the sibling controls (p = 0.058). Patients who underwent surgery scored significantly worse with regard to the VBRS total score compared with those who did not (p = 0.020), but not on ABAS, DCD, or TOSQ. The mean score of the cognitive and psychological items on TOSQ was lower than that for the physical items (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Children with a large TAC performed similarly to their sibling control participants in neurodevelopmental function. However, a subgroup of those with cysts did have an increased risk for poor outcomes in general function. Neurodevelopmental assessment should be part of the management of all patients with TAC.

Age-related validity and reliability of the Dutch Little Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (LDCDQ-NL)

BackgroundEarly recognition of children at risk of Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is important, but variability in motor development in preschool children affects the validity of instruments to reliably detect children at risk of DCD. AimsTo investigate the age-related validity and reliability of the Dutch version of the Little Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (LDCDQ-NL). Methods and proceduresTwo hundred and sixty 3- to 5-year old children were recruited in the Netherlands. Parents filled out the LDCDQ-NL and children were assessed with the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 Test (MABC-2 Test). Internal consistency of the LDCDQ-NL was determined by Cronbach’s alpha. Construct validity was investigated using factor analysis. Concurrent validity was measured by calculating correlations between the LDCDQ-NL and MABC-2. Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) were calculated to assess discriminant validity. Outcomes and resultsInternal consistency of the LDCDQ-NL was 0.91. Factor analysis resulted in three factors (Fine motor skills, Locomotor skills, Ball skills). Correlation between the LDCDQ-NL and MABC-2 Test increased with increasing age. With a sensitivity of 80%, specificity increased with age. Conclusions and implicationsThe LDCDQ-NL is a reliable and valid screening instrument for 4- and 5-year old Dutch children; concurrent and discriminant validity are low for 3-year olds.

Primenjivost upitnika za procenu razvojnog poremećaja koordinacije kod dece u Srbiji

Primenjivost upitnika za procenu razvojnog poremećaja koordinacije kod dece u Srbiji

Developmental coordination disorder, psychopathology and IQ in 22q11.2 deletion syndrome.

22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS) is associated with high rates of neurodevelopmental disorder, however, the links between developmental coordination disorder (DCD), intellectual function and psychiatric disorder remain unexplored. Aims To establish the prevalence of indicative DCD in children with 22q11.2DS and examine associations with IQ, neurocognition and psychopathology. Neurocognitive assessments and psychiatric interviews of 70 children with 22q11.2DS (mean age 11.2, s.d. = 2.2) and 32 control siblings (mean age 11.5, s.d. = 2.1) were carried out in their homes. Nine children with 22q11.2DS and indicative DCD were subsequently assessed in an occupational therapy clinic. Indicative DCD was found in 57 (81.4%) children with 22q11.2DS compared with 2 (6.3%) control siblings (odds ratio (OR) = 36.7, P < 0.001). Eight of nine (89%) children with indicative DCD met DSM-5 criteria for DCD. Poorer coordination was associated with increased numbers of anxiety, (P < 0.001), attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (P < 0.001) and autism-spectrum disorder (ASD) symptoms (P < 0.001) in children with 22q11.2DS. Furthermore, 100% of children with 22q11.2DS and ADHD had indicative DCD (20 of 20), as did 90% of children with anxiety disorder (17 of 19) and 96% of children who screened positive for ASD (22 of 23). The Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire score was related to sustained attention (P = 0.006), even after history of epileptic fits (P = 0.006) and heart problems (P = 0.009) was taken into account. Clinicians should be aware of the high risk of coordination difficulties in children with 22q11.2DS and its association with risk of mental disorder and specific neurocognitive deficits. Declaration of interest None.

Prevalence of Developmental Coordination Disorder signs in children 5 to 14 years in São Carlos

This study aimed to identify the prevalence of Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) in children aged 5-14 years, enrolled in public preschools and elementary schools in São Carlos - SP. There were 130 participating families. Instruments were: Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire – Brazil (DCDQ - Brazil), Brazil criteria and a questionnaire for the characterization of children. The prevalence of DCD found was 30%, which is overestimated when compared to data found in much of the literature, justified by the use of the instrument for detection of the DCD. No significant difference was found between the presence of signs in boys and girls and there was a higher concentration of children with DCD signs on B2, C1 and C2 socioeconomic classes. The prevalence of DCD signs was higher in children over 8 years.

Effect of early intervention on functional outcome at school age: Follow-up and process evaluation of a randomised controlled trial in infants at risk

BackgroundThe long-term effect of early intervention in infants at risk for developmental disorders is unclear. The VIP project (n=46, originally) evaluated by means of a randomised controlled trial the effect of the family centred early intervention programme COPCA (Coping with and Caring for infants with special needs) in comparison to that of traditional infant physiotherapy (TIP). AimsTo evaluate the effect of early intervention on functional outcome at school age. Methods and proceduresParents of 40 children (median age 8.3years) participated in this follow-up study. Outcome was assessed with a standardised parental interview (Vineland Adaptive Behaviour Scale) and questionnaires (Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire, Child Behaviour Checklist, Utrechtse Coping List, and questions on educational approach). Quantified video information on physiotherapeutic actions during infancy was available. Outcomes and resultsChild functional outcome in the two randomised groups was similar. Process evaluation revealed that some physiotherapeutic actions were associated with child mobility and parental educational approach at follow-up: e.g., training and instructing were associated with worse mobility. Conclusions and implicationsFunctional outcome at school age after early intervention with COPCA is similar to that after TIP. However, some specific physiotherapeutic actions, in particular the physiotherapist's approach, are associated with outcome. What this paper addsEarly intervention is generally applied in infants at risk for developing disorders, with the aim of improving overall functional outcome. However, little is known on the long-term effect.The VIP project evaluated by means of a randomised controlled trial the effect of the family centred early intervention programme COPCA (Coping with and Caring for infants with special needs) in comparison to that of traditional infant physical therapy (TIP). Outcome at 18months corrected age was virtually similar. Process evaluation of the physiotherapy actions revealed that some characteristics of COPCA were associated with improved developmental outcome at 18months.This paper presents data on functional outcome at school age (median 8.3years) in 87% of the original participants. Outcome of infants who received three months of COPCA and that of infants who received three months of TIP was similar. Yet, parents of families who had received the COPCA intervention still more often used a trial and error approach when the child learned a new skill than parents of children who had received TIP. Process evaluation showed that more time spent on caregiver training and strict instructions during early intervention was associated with worse mobility. Four other physiotherapeutic actions were associated with parental educational approach. None of the neuromotor actions were associated with child outcome at school age.We conclude that long-term outcome after three months of COPCA or TIP is similar. However, our study does suggest that the professional approach of the physiotherapist can make a difference.