Motor Development In Young Children Research Articles

The Effect of Coloring Activities on the Fine Motor Skills of Early Age Children 5 – 6 Years in the Pembina State Kindergarten, Pancur Batu District

The aim of this research is to find out how coloring activities impact the fine motor skills of children aged 5-6 years at the Pembina State Kindergarten, Pancur Batu District. This research uses an experimental type of research. This research design uses True Experimental Design, with a post-test only control group design. The experimental and control groups consisted of each other. This research involved 30 early childhood children aged between 5 and 6 years. The independent variable in this research is coloring activities and the dependent variable is fine motor development. The data collection method consists of structured observation and analysis data collected using the t-test with a significance level of α = 0.05. The results of the research show that there is a significant influence of coloring activities on the fine motor development of young children in the Pembina State Kindergarten, Pancur Batu District. This is proven by statistical calculations through the average value given different treatments, namely 13.13 for the experimental class and 7.66 for the control class. Where the t-test results show a tcount of 12.128. For hypothesis testing criteria using a real level of 0.05 with dk = n1 + n2-2 or dk 28, the ttable is 1.701. So it can be concluded that tcount 12.128 > ttable 1.701, which means Ha is accepted and H0 is rejected or the same as coloring activities have a significant effect on the fine motor development of early childhood children 5-6 years old in the Pembina State Kindergarten, Pancur Batu District.

¡Miranos! An 8-Month Comprehensive Preschool Obesity Prevention Program in Low-Income Latino Children: Effects on Children's Gross Motor Development.

Organized childcare is an ideal setting to promote gross motor development in young children from low-income minority families. A three-group clustered randomized controlled trial was conducted in Head Start centers serving low-income Latino children to evaluate the impact of an 8-month comprehensive obesity-prevention intervention on children's percentile scores for locomotive skills (LS pctl) and ball skills (BS pctl), and general motor quotient (GMQ). Trained Head Start staff delivered the center-based intervention (CBI) to modify center physical activity and nutrition policies, staff practices, and child behaviors, while the home-based intervention (HBI) offered training and support to parents for obesity prevention at home. Participants were 3-year-old children (n = 310; 87% Latino; 58% female) enrolled in Head Start centers in South Texas. Twelve centers were randomized (1:1:1 ratio) to receive CBI, CBI and HBI (CBI + HBI), or control treatment. Posttest data were collected from 79.1% of participants. All gross motor development measures improved significantly for children in CBI compared to the control, while children in CBI + HBI only showed improvement for GMQ (p = 0.09) and LS pctl (p < 0.001) compared to the control. A comprehensive and culturally competent intervention targeting childcare centers and children's homes was effective at improving children's gross motor development and reducing disparities in child development.

Dynamics of indicators of motor functions on the background of physical rehabilitation in children of early age with epilepsy and motor disorders

Epilepsy is a chronic brain disease and one of the most common neurological diseases in the world, manifested by sudden seizures due to increased paroxysmal activity of neurons. There are no published studies aimed at assessing the dynamics of motor development in young children suffering from epilepsy with motor disorders.Purpose. The paper aimed at studying the dynamics of motor function indicators in patients with epilepsy on the background of movement disorders during three courses of rehabilitation treatment.Material and methods. We studied 123 young children with epilepsy and motor disorders. Age ranged from 9 months to 24 months. All patients were divided into 3 groups: group 1 patients who received only general massage, group 2: patients who received Vojta therapy, group 3: patients who received massage and Vojta therapy. The duration of remission for clinical seizures in all groups was at least 3 months, remission for video EEG monitoring in all patients was 23 months. Three courses of medical rehabilitation were carried out with an interval of 2 to 5 months for 1015 sessions of 2530 minutes daily. The dynamics of motor development of patients and the effectiveness of medical rehabilitation were assessed using the GMFCS scale, before and after each course of medical rehabilitation.Results. After the first course of rehabilitation, almost no improvement was observed and was unreliable, while after the second course there was a significant positive trend, especially pronounced in group 3. At the same time, the growth of the scale indicators in the period from the end of the first course to the end of the third was almost linear.Conclusion. The data obtained indicate the presence of a certain rigidity of the motor system of such patients, which determines the minimum dynamics after the first course of rehabilitation. Only starting from the second course, we begin to notice a linear improvement in the indicators of motor functions. The preferred duration of the interval between courses, in our opinion, is not less than two and not more than three months.

Interventions by Caregivers to Promote Motor Development in Young Children, the Caregivers' Attitudes and Benefits Hereof: A Scoping Review.

In the first year of life, the child’s caregivers, including parents and daycare staff, play an essential role, as they are responsible for implementing daily activities to promote the motor development of young children. However, what does the research show about interventions to promote the motor development of 0–36-month-olds carried out by the child’s caregivers, and what are the caregivers’ experiences and attitudes hereof? This scoping review aims to provide an overview of the published studies to derive an overall interpretation. A systematic search was conducted in five scientific databases, resulting in 10,219 articles, of which 9 met the inclusion criteria. The results indicate that providing early intervention to 0–36-month-old children, in which the caregivers carry out the activities, promotes the young child’s motor development. Furthermore, the interventions increase the caregivers’ interest and motivation to promote the young child’s motor development, which is essential in maintaining the behaviour after the end of the interventions. Supervision and guidance provided for the child’s caregivers concerning knowledge and skills about age-appropriate behaviours and facilitation of their child’s motor development increases the caregivers’ self-confidence, interest, and motivation.

The Performance of Visual, Auditory, and Motor Cognitive Flexibility for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Taiwan.

PurposeFew studies have tested the cognitive flexibility, specifically auditory and motor flexibility of children with ASD. This study was conducted to understand the relationship between cognitive flexibility and visual, auditory, and motor development in young children with ASD and autistic behaviors.Participants and methodsA purposive sampling approach was used to screen nineteen four- to five-year-old ASD children. Tests included the Autism Behavior Checklist-Taiwan Version and Cognitive Flexibility Test, which included visual, auditory, and motor cognitive flexibility subtests.ResultsAt the pre-switch and post-switch of three subtests, there were considerable variations in the number of ASD passing. According to the findings, children aged five had more visual cognitive flexibility than children aged four, but the lack of significant differences for the other flexibilities. The negative correlation of the three cognitive flexibilities with autistic behaviors was −0.57~-0.64.ConclusionChildren with ASD have significant difficulties in switching rule tasks characterized by visual, auditory, and motor cognitive flexibility. The results suggest that visual cognitive flexibility had an age effect. The negative correlation of the three cognitive flexibilities with autistic behaviors was moderate.

Swipe kinematic differences in young children with autism spectrum disorders are task- and age-dependent: A smart tablet game approach

The motor system is becoming increasingly recognized as an important site of disruption in autism spectrum disorders (ASD). However, the precise nature of this motor disruption remains unclear with some conflicting reports. We employed a smart tablet serious game approach, which did not require verbal instruction. Children's movements on the touch screen were recorded, and their kinematics computed from two games. One afforded goal-directed swipes, and the other free-style colouring. Children aged 25–79 months participated in this study, including 37 children with ASD and 45 typically developing (TD) children. Results revealed significant group, age, and task differences. In comparison to controls, children with ASD <5 years old performed faster goal-directed swipes, whereas those ≥5 years old performed slower goal-directed swipes. In contrast, during free-style drawing, children with ASD moved faster than the controls irrespective of age. Within the TD participants, the older subgroup (≥5 years) performed faster movements than the younger subgroup (<5 years) in both game contexts. However, the ASD older subgroup moved slower than their younger subgroup in the case of goal-directed swipes while no speed difference was observed in the case of free-style drawing. These findings reveal developmental differences in motor development in young children with ASD from their TD counterparts. Further, they demonstrate smart tablet gameplay can produce precise computational metrics of motor kinematics to characterize these differences deployable in schools, clinics and home settings for large-scale data collection for both research and clinical purposes that may ultimately enable accessible and scalable early detection of ASD.

An illustration‐based developmental motor screening questionnaire for young children: Development and a Rasch analysis

AbstractThis study aimed to develop an illustration‐based developmental motor screening questionnaire (DMSQi) for young children and examined its psychometric properties. 463 young children and their caregivers were collected and received the DMSQi assessment. DMSQi is made up of two domains. The gross motor (GM) domain includes body coordination and stability/mobility subdomains. The fine motor (FM) domain includes visual motor integration and hand grasp/manipulation subdomains. The internal consistency (Cronbach's α) and test–retest reliabilities (ICCs) of DMSQi were 0.88–0.98 and 0.85–0.95, respectively. For concurrent validity, the GM and FM domains of DMSQi were highly correlated with the corresponding domains of Peabody Developmental Motor Scale, second edition (r = 0.85–0.95). DMSQi had good discriminant validity for age (p &lt; .001). Most items (96%) were fitted and the item difficulty was from −7 to 5 scaled by Rasch analysis. DMSQi is easy, quick, and culture‐specific. It has good reliability, validity, and item fit for assessing the motor development of young children.

Cognitive, motor, and visual development in healthy children in the first 42 months of life.

The Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development-Third Edition (Bayley-III) is a tool for measuring the developmental status of children, including cognitive and motor functioning, in the first three years of life. This study aims to evaluate the correlation between grating visual acuity and visual functionality in healthy children using the Bayley-III. Binocular grating visual acuity was measured using Teller Acuity Cards followed by the Bayley-III in healthy children aged 1-42 months. Visual acuity (logMAR) and Bayley-III scores for both cognitive and motor (gross and fine) skills were compared. Forty children (20 boys) aged 1.2-42.1 months were tested. Their mean visual acuity was 0.39 ± 0.27 logMAR, which was within the normal age limits for all children. There was a strong and significant negative correlation between visual acuity and age (r=-0.83, p<0.001). The mean cognitive raw data score was 49.92 ± 18.93 points, with a strong and significant positive correlation between cognitive score and age (r=0.81, p<0.001). The mean gross motor score was 41.72 ± 16.23 points, with a strong and significant positive correlation between gross motor score and age (r=0.75, p<0.001). The mean fine motor score was 39.75 ± 14.63 points, with a strong and significant positive correlation between fine motor score and age (r=0.77, p<0.001). Multiple linear regression demonstrated that older age and better visual acuity were significantly associated with higher Bayley-III scores. This study found a high correlation between grating visual acuity measured using Teller Acuity Cards and cognitive and motor scores measured using the Bayley-III in healthy children, demonstrating that the Bayley-III might be a useful tool for assessing the repercussions of visual impairment on the cognitive and motor development of young children.

Effect of Touch Screen Tablet Use on Fine Motor Development of Young Children

ABSTRACTAim: To investigate the effects of touch-screen tablet use on the fine motor development of preschool children without developmental delay. Methods: 40 children who used a touch-screen tablet more 60 minutes per week for at least 1 month received a 24-week home fine motor activity program using a touch-screen-tablet. 40 children matched for age (mean = 61.0 months) and sex who did not meet the criteria for previous tablet use received a 24-week program consisting of manual play activities. Motor performance was measured using the Bruininks–Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency. The two-factor mixed design ANOVA was used to compare performance of the touch-screen tablet and non-touch-screen tablet groups. Results: Pretest analysis showed no group differences in motor performance and pinch strength. At posttest, children in the nontouch-screen-tablet group made significantly greater changes in fine motor precision (p < 0.001), fine motor integration (p = 0.008), and manual dexterity (p = 0.003). Conclusion: Using a touch screen tablet extensively might be disadvantageous for the fine motor development of preschool children.

Cognitive and motor abilities of young children and risk of injuries in the home

ObjectiveResidential injury is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in US children. Rates and types of injury vary by child age but little is known about injury risk based...

Effects of television exposure on developmental skills among young children

BackgroundLiterature addressing the effects of television exposure on developmental skills of young children less than 36 months of age is scarce. This study explored how much time young children spend viewing television and investigated its effects on cognitive, language, and motor developmental skills. MethodsData were collected from the Pediatric Clinics at University Medical Center in Southern Taiwan. The participants comprised 75 children who were frequently exposed to television and 75 children who were not or infrequently exposed to television between 15 and 35 months old. The age and sex were matched in the two groups. The Bayley Scales of Infant Development-second edition and Peabody Developmental Motor Scales-second edition were used to identify developmental skills. Independent t-tests, χ2 tests, and logistic regression models were conducted. ResultsAmong 75 children who were frequently exposed to television, young children watched a daily average of 67.4min of television before age 2, which was excessive according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Viewing television increased the risk of delayed cognitive, language, and motor development in children who were frequently exposed to television. Cognitive, language, and motor delays in young children were significantly associated with how much time they spent viewing television. The type of care providers was critical in determining the television-viewing time of children. ConclusionWe recommend that pediatric practitioners explain the impacts of television exposure to parents and caregivers to ensure cognitive, language, and motor development in young children. Advocacy efforts must address the fact that allowing young children to spend excessive time viewing television can be developmentally detrimental.

Low verbal assessment with the Bayley-III

Recently, the authors have developed the Bayley-III-NL Low Verbal for developmental assessment of children with language impairment. The Low Verbal version consists of an accommodated cognition scale, and non-accommodated communication and motor scales. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the validity and added value of the Bayley-III-NL Low Verbal for children with a language impairment, in relation to the standard Bayley-III-NL for children without impairment. We administered the Bayley-III Low Verbal to 69 children with language impairment, and the standard Bayley-III-NL to 1132 children without impairments. We used an evaluation form for test administrators and interviews with developmental psychologists to evaluate the suitability of the Low Verbal version for the target group. We analyzed the test results using nonparametric item response theory (IRT) to investigate whether test results can be reasonably compared across the two groups. The results of the IRT analyses support the validity of the Bayley-III-NL Low Verbal: the test items do not suffer from differential item functioning (DIF) across the two groups, and thus measure the ability levels of interest in the same way. The results of the evaluation form and interviews confirm that the Bayley-III-NL Low Verbal has added value for testing children with a language impairment, especially for children up to 36 months old. It is also suitable for children with general developmental delay. We conclude that the Bayley-III-NL Low Verbal can validly assess the cognitive, language, and motor development of young children with a language impairment and is the preferred instrument for this target group.

Improved speech following parent-delivered qigong massage in young children with Down syndrome: a pilot randomised controlled trial

Qigong massage is an eastern form of massage that can be delivered by western parents to their children with appropriate training and support. It has been shown to improve developmental measures in young children with autism when given daily for five months. A recent trial evaluating its effect on motor development in young children with Down syndrome reported anecdotal observations of increased speech beginning in the first weeks of massage. This pilot randomised controlled trial (RCT) was conducted to formally assess the effect of qigong massage on speech in young children with Down syndrome. Twenty children with Down syndrome under age 4 were randomly assigned to treatment and control groups. The treatment group was assigned to receive a programme of daily parent-delivered qigong massage for five months. Parents were provided with training and weekly support for the first two months by trained staff. Data analysis using pre- and post-treatment testing with the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development showed a large improvement in expressive language (p < 0.02). Results are consistent with published reports of improved communication in young children with autism following massage, and suggest that a larger RCT with young children with Down syndrome is warranted.

Influence of Affordances in the Home Environment on Motor Development of Young Children in Japan

Previous research indicates that the home environment is a significant factor in early child development. The present study examined influence of the multidimensional home environment on young Japanese children’s motor development. A Japanese translation of the Affordances in the Home Environment for Motor Development-Self Report (AHEMD-SR) was used to assess home motor affordances in 262 families. Motor ability was assessed by parental report using the Enjoji Infant Analytic Developmental Test. We also asked parents to rate their own physical activity in terms of level and years of experience. As results, we found that the home environment in Japan was generally sufficient for children’s motor development and that children’s access to Fine Motor Toys (FMT) and Gross Motor Toys (GMT) had the strongest influence on their development. Analysis also indicated that AHEMD-SR scores were higher for children of parents who had some level of physical activity experience compared to children whose parents indicated no physical activity experience. Parents’ self-reported activity level was correlated with higher scores for the subscales FMT and GMT and for total AHEMD-SR score. These results indicate that both the physical and social-psychological environments (parental experience and views) of the home influenced children’s motor development.

Physical Education in Kindergarten Promotes Fundamental Motor Skill Development

Skill development is influenced by many factors and, among many, opportunity of practice and appropriate instruction provided by teacher might be considered as key elements but still need to be empirically investigated. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare gross motor development of young children enrolled in physical education, provided by a specialist teacher, and children enrolled in recreational activities, provided by a regular teacher, in kindergarten. Fifty children were divided into two groups: 25 children (age of 5.3 ± 0.3 years) constituted the physical education (PE) group and received activities, once a week, ministered by a physical education teacher; 25 children (age of 5.2 ± 0.4 years) constituted the recreational (RE) group and received activities, also once a week, supervised by a classroom teacher. All these children were evaluated performing the locomotor and object control subtests of Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD-2) at the beginning and at the end of the school year. Performance of both subtests were scored, according to the performance criteria of TGMD-2, by three experimenters, obtaining the raw skill score and the equivalent motor age for each subtest. Results revealed that both children’ groups showed similar raw skill score and equivalent motor age before enrollment in any activities, at the beginning of the year. Differently, after enrolment in the respective activities, PE children showed higher raw skill score and equivalent motor age than RE children. These results demonstrated that regular physical education, composed by structured practice, ministered by a specialist promote gross motor development of children even at young age such as in kindergarten.

Iron Interventions for Women and Children in Low-Income Countries ,

The WHO estimates that 41% of women and 27% of children suffer from anemia due to iron deficiency. The consequences of iron deficiency anemia include suboptimal mental and motor development in young children, increased risk of maternal mortality, and decreased economic productivity of adults. Recent research also provides evidence that maternal iron deficiency in pregnancy increases neonatal morbidity and mortality. This short review briefly highlights how iron interventions might be positioned within 4 global health initiatives: making pregnancy safer, saving newborn lives, infant and young child feeding, and fortification. The importance of iron nutrition is recognized in the context of child nutrition, fortification, and biofortification, and it is likely that meaningful advances will be made through these initiatives in the coming decade. However, iron nutrition is not yet well integrated into the programmatic agendas for reducing morbidity and mortality of pregnant women and neonates. Iron supplementation in pregnancy has been advocated for decades as a means of controlling anemia, but this outcome has not been sufficient to motivate strong programs and policies, and the evidence base is still sparse for high-priority clinical outcomes. To act on the current evidence for maternal and neonatal health will require stronger advocacy within circles that have not traditionally included nutritionists. Successful implementation will require greater attention to antenatal care for pregnancy women and prioritization of iron-promoting actions (including iron supplementation and deworming) within that platform.

Factors Influencing Gross Motor Development in Young Children in an Urban Child Welfare System

To determine whether young children involved with child welfare (CW) have gross motor (GM) delay; to examine relationships between GM skills and the influence of multiple factors on GM skills. One hundred seventy-six children involved with CW received GM assessment, physical examinations, and caseworker interviews. Descriptive statistics, correlations, t tests, analysis of variance and covariance, and multiple regression analyses were completed. GM scores, lower than population norms, were associated with growth parameters. Children in kinship care had significantly higher GM scores compared with children in foster care and those with in-home protective services when adjusted for differences in time in CW. Abuse/neglect, medical neglect, and parental substance abuse produced lower scores; referral for abandonment produced higher scores. Age was most strongly related to GM outcome, with multiple regression explaining 19% of GM variance. Children involved with CW have lower mean GM scores than population norms. Several factors specific to CW experiences may influence GM outcome.

The effect of a basic home stimulation programme on the development of young children infected with HIV

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) potentially causes a significant encephalopathy and resultant developmental delay in infected children. The aim of this study was to determine whether a home-based intervention programme could have an impact on the neurodevelopmental status of children infected with HIV. A longitudinal, randomized, controlled trial was conducted. A total of 122 children aged less than 2 years 6 months were assigned to either a comparison or an experimental group. Children in the experimental group were given a home stimulation programme that was updated every 3 months. The home programme included activities to promote motor, cognitive, and speech and language development. Children in the comparison group received no developmental intervention. Children were assessed by a blinded assessor at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, 2nd edition. The children in this study came from poor socioeconomic backgrounds and their nutritional status was suboptimal. The experimental group included 60 children (30 males, 30 females) with a mean age of 18 months (SD 8.1 mo). The comparison group included 62 children (32 males, 30 females) with a mean age 19 months (SD 8.2 mo). Cognitive and motor development were severely affected at baseline, with 52% of the children having severe cognitive delay and 72% having severe motor delay at baseline. Children in the experimental group showed significantly greater improvement in cognitive (p=0.010) and motor (p=0.020) development over time than children in the comparison group. A home stimulation programme taught to the caregiver can significantly improve cognitive and motor development in young children infected with HIV.

Efficacy of interventions to improve motor development in young children: A systematic review of controlled trials

Introduction: A systematic review of evidence from controlled trials on the efficacy of motor development interventions in young children was conducted.Methodology: A literature search of interventions was conducted in 14 electronic databases. Three reviewers independently evaluated studies to determine whether they met the inclusion criteria. Studies were compared on five components: design, methodological quality, intervention components, efficacy and alignment with the CONSORT and TREND Statements.Results: Seventeen studies met the inclusion criteria. More than half were controlled trials (65%) and delivered at childcare settings or schools (65%). Three studies had high methodological quality. Studies were approximately 12 weeks in duration and delivered by teachers, researchers and students. Parents were only involved in three studies. Nearly 60% of studies reported statistically significant improvements at follow-up. Three studies aligned with CONSORT and TREND Statements.Conclusions: This review highlighted the limited quantity and quality of interventions to improve motor development in young children. The following recommendations are made: (1) both teachers and researchers should be involved in the implementation of an intervention; (2) parental involvement is critical to ensure transfer of knowledge from the intervention setting to the home environment and (3) interventions should be methodologically sound and follow guidelines detailed in the CONSORT or TREND Statements. Introduction: A systematic review of evidence from controlled trials on the efficacy of motor development interventions in young children was conducted. Methodology: A literature search of interventions was conducted in 14 electronic databases. Three reviewers independently evaluated studies to determine whether they met the inclusion criteria. Studies were compared on five components: design, methodological quality, intervention components, efficacy and alignment with the CONSORT and TREND Statements. Results: Seventeen studies met the inclusion criteria. More than half were controlled trials (65%) and delivered at childcare settings or schools (65%). Three studies had high methodological quality. Studies were approximately 12 weeks in duration and delivered by teachers, researchers and students. Parents were only involved in three studies. Nearly 60% of studies reported statistically significant improvements at follow-up. Three studies aligned with CONSORT and TREND Statements. Conclusions: This review highlighted the limited quantity and quality of interventions to improve motor development in young children. The following recommendations are made: (1) both teachers and researchers should be involved in the implementation of an intervention; (2) parental involvement is critical to ensure transfer of knowledge from the intervention setting to the home environment and (3) interventions should be methodologically sound and follow guidelines detailed in the CONSORT or TREND Statements.

Efficacy of Interventions to Improve Motor Development in Young Children: A Systematic Review

The objective of this study was to systematically review evidence from controlled trials on the efficacy of motor development interventions in young children. A literature search of interventions was conducted of 14 electronic databases. Three reviewers independently evaluated studies to determine whether they met the inclusion criteria. Studies were compared on 5 components: design, methodologic quality, intervention components, efficacy, and alignment with the Consolidated Standard of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) and Transparent Reporting of Evaluation with Nonrandomized Designs (TREND) statements. Seventeen studies met the inclusion criteria. More than half (65%) were controlled trials and delivered at child care settings or schools (65%). Three studies had high methodologic quality. Studies were approximately 12 weeks in duration and delivered by teachers, researchers, and students. Parents were involved in only 3 studies. Nearly 60% of the studies reported statistically significant improvements at follow-up. Three studies aligned with the CONSORT and TREND statements. This review highlights the limited quantity and quality of interventions to improve motor development in young children. The following recommendations are made: (1) both teachers and researchers should be involved in the implementation of an intervention; (2) parental involvement is critical to ensuring transfer of knowledge from the intervention setting to the home environment; and (3) interventions should be methodologically sound and follow guidelines detailed in the CONSORT or TREND statement.