Bimanual Co‐ordination in Adolescent Boys with Reading Retardation

Abstract

SUMMARY The temporal organization of unimanual and bimanual rhythmic finger‐tapping was compared between adolescent normal readers and retarded readers, as well as across subgroups of retarded readers with different psychometric intelligence profiles. Regardless of subtype, the retarded readers had substantially greater difficulty in maintaining a steady tapping rhythm than did controls, but their deficit was limited to motor tasks requiring asymmetrical timing commands to the two hands. The findings indicate that the motor deficits of retarded readers on complex skills persist into adolescence; and they suggest that one major source of difficulties in motor performance may be in rapid communication between the hemispheres. RÉSUMÉ Coordination bimanuelle des garçons présentant un retard de lecture L'organisation temporelle de la frappe rythmique de doigt en unimanuel et bimanuel a été comparée entre adolescents normaux et adolescents présentant des retards de lecture mais aussi chez des sous‐groupes de retard de lecture avec différents profils psychométriques d'intelligence. Quelque soit le sous‐groupe, les enfants retardés pour la lecture ont présenté une plus grande difficultéà maintenir un rythme de frappe régulier que les contrôles mais le déficit a été limité aux tâches motrices nécessitant une commande temporelle asymétrique des deux mains. Ces données indiquent que les déficits moteurs sur les tâches complexes en cas de retard de lecture persistent durant l'adolescence. Elles suggèrent qu'une source majeure de difficultés dans les performances motrices peut se situer dans la communication rapide entre les hémisphères. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG Bimanuelle Koordination bei heranwachsenden Jungen mit Leseschwache Bei heranwachsenden Jungen mit und ohne Leseschwäche, sowie innerhalb von Untergruppen leseschwacher Kinder mit verschiedenen psychometrischen Intelligenzprofilen wurde die temporale Steurung uni‐ und bimanueller Fingerklopfbewegungen verglichen. Unabhängig von den Untergruppen hatten die leseschwachen Kinder erheblich größere Schwierigkeiten, einen gleichbleibenden Fingerklopfrhythmus aufrechtzuerhalten als die KontroUen, jedoch war die Schwäche auf motorische Aufgaben beschränkt, die zeitlich unterschiedliche Einsätze bei beiden Händen erforderten. Die Befunde deuten darauf hin, daß die motorischen Einschränkungen leseschwacher Kinder bei komplexen Funktionen bis ins Erwachsenennalter bestehen bleiben und sie lassen vermuten, daß ein Hauptgrund für die Schwierigkeiten bei den Motorfunktionen möglicherweise in der raschen Kommunikation zwischen den Hemisphären zu suchen ist. RESUMEN Coordinación bimanual en muchachos adolescentes con retardo en la lectura La organización temporal del golpeteo rítmico digital unimanual o bimanual fué comparado entre adolescentes normales y retardados para la lectura, lo mismo que en subgrupos de retrasados en lectura con perfiles psicométricos de inteligencia diferentes. Sin atender a subtipos, los lectores retardados tenian una dificultad substancialmente mayor para mantener ...

Development of bilateral motor control in children with developmental coordination disorders

“…Synchronization of both hands in bilateral aiming movements appears as early as 5 to 6 years of age (Fagard et al 1985, Fa@ 1987, Hay 1990). However, c h i l h n with drjlcxia and other types of reading disorder have been reported to have difficulty in performing tasks that require precise bilateral motor coordination (Klicpera et d. 1981, Wolff et al 1984, van Dellen and G e m 1986, WoBand Drake 1991, Geuze and Kalveher 1994. These studies indicate that deficits in the coordination of the two hands are often Limited to motor tasks which involvc asymmetrical movements.…”

A Scoping Review on Movement, Neurobiology and Functional Deficits in Dyslexia: Suggestions for a Three-Fold Integrated Perspective

“…Further, the deficits that appear when dyslexic individuals attempt to execute simple and complex neuromotor acts, combined with the presence of clinical signs (such as dysrhythmia and synkinetic movements) [ 63 , 64 , 65 , 66 , 67 ], have historically all been considered related to the abnormal temporal organization of motor skills [ 67 , 68 ]. However, considering the additional impairments found in executive functions such as programming movements, in visual and kinaesthetic sensory processes, and in the capacity to evaluate their own performance and correct their errors, Chiarenza [ 69 ] advanced the hypothesis that dyslexia is not only a phonological deficit but “ is a more complex disorder associated with a malfunction of higher cognitive functions, including attention, phonological analysis, verbal-motor coordination, control mechanisms and feedback, and memory ” [ 70 ].…”

Goal directed behavior and dyslexia

“…Furthermore, clinical signs such as dysrhythmia, the presence of synkinetic movements, have often been described in dyslexic individuals (Adams et al1974, Kennard 1960, Rutter et al, 1966, Stine et al, 1975, Wolff and Hurvitz, 1973, Denckla 1973). These difficulties were interpreted as a disorder of the temporal organization of motor skills (Klicpera et al, 1981, Denckla 1973). These observations were also recently confirmed by Punt et al (2010), who reported that 87% of dyslexics exhibit minor neurological dysfunction, especially in fine manipulative skills, the regulation of muscle tone, and the excessive presence of associated movements.…”