Working memory, reading, and mathematical skills in children with developmental coordination disorder

Alloway, Tracy Packiam

doi:10.1016/j.jecp.2006.07.002

Cited by 212 publications

(151 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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“…Although backward span tasks have been used successfully with children as young as 4 or 5 years in previous studies (e.g., Alloway, 2007;Gathercole et al, 2003) many children in the current study were unable to recall two items in reverse order, severely limiting variability on these tasks. Therefore, these tasks are included in the correlational analyses only with an indication of the number of children who completed the task.…”

Section: Digit Span (Forward and Backward)mentioning

confidence: 71%

Short-Term Memory, Working Memory, and Executive Functioning in Preschoolers: Longitudinal Predictors of Mathematical Achievement at Age 7 Years

Bull

Espy

Wiebe

2008

Developmental Neuropsychology

1,330

990

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Section: Digit Span (Forward and Backward)mentioning

confidence: 71%

Short-Term Memory, Working Memory, and Executive Functioning in Preschoolers: Longitudinal Predictors of Mathematical Achievement at Age 7 Years

Bull

Espy

Wiebe

2008

Developmental Neuropsychology

1,330

990

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

“…Moreover, they have important implications for UK educators ascribing to the belief that children with DCD (often referred to as 'dyspraxia') can be diagnosed on the basis of a 'spiky' profile showcasing higher VCI than PRI, and a dip in performance on the Block Design subtest (Grant, 2010). Very few studies specifically report Block Design performance, although notably a few do highlight poor performance on this task in comparison to a control group (Alloway, 2007;Gomez et al, 2015). The present findings, using a large sample, go against this claim of Block Design being a good discriminator of DCD but, as with many studies, replication of the present findings would strengthen the conclusions.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Examining the cognitive profile of children with Developmental Coordination Disorder

Sumner

Pratt²,

Hill

2016

Research in Developmental Disabilities

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Examining the cognitive profile of children with Developmental Coordination DisorderBackground. While primarily a motor disorder, research considering the cognitive abilities in children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is limited; even though these children often struggle academically.Aims. The present study aimed to characterise the IQ profile of children with and without DCD, and to identify whether children with DCD exhibit specific cognitive weaknesses.Methods and Procedures. 104 children participated in the study. Fifty-two children (mean age, 9 years) with a diagnosis of DCD were matched to 52 typically-developing children by age and gender. Cognitive ability was assessed using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-IV). Outcomes and Results.Children with DCD performed poorer than their peers on processing speed and working memory measures. Individual analyses revealed varied performance in the DCD group across all cognitive indices, despite displaying Full-Scale IQs in the typical range. Discriminant function analyses show processing speed and working memory performance predicted only 23% of between-group variability. Conclusions.Children with DCD present with a heterogeneous cognitive profile, lending support to individual case analyses in research and when designing educational assistance plans. The motorically-demanding nature of the WISC-IV processing speed tasks raises specific concerns about using this index of the IQ assessment in this population. Research and practical implications are raised. What this paper adds?Intellectual (cognitive) abilities are assessed in research and clinical practice. A link between cognitive and motor skill is often reported in the typically-developing literature, but little is known about the cognitive profile of children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). This paper provides a comprehensive assessment of a range of cognitive abilities, using the popular Wechsler scales. For the first time, it shows that children with DCD perform poorly on only the processing speed and working memory measures, in comparison to their peers. However, the motor demands of processing speed tasks can in part explain these results. Moreover, a heterogeneous cognitive profile was identified in the DCD group. Analysis of individual differences shows that children with DCD do not present with a distinct IQ profile. This suggests that attention should be paid to individual case analyses in order to understand the relationship between motor skill and IQ. The paper addresses the risk of identifying DCD on the basis of an IQ profile, and encourages all practitioners to adhere to the standard diagnostic procedures identified in the DSM-5.3

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“…A number of recent studies have highlighted a specific relationship between motor difficulties and executive functioning impairments, including working memory. [12][13][14] This relationship is intriguing given that particular brain regions, such as the cerebellum and prefrontal cortex, are associated with cognitive and motor problems, suggesting a common mechanism. 15 It is possible that common, domain-general, neurocognitive mechanisms are involved in the cognitive and motor impairments observed in NF1.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Relationship between cognitive dysfunction, gait, and motor impairment in children and adolescents with neurofibromatosis type 1

Champion

Rose

Payne

et al. 2014

Develop Med Child Neuro

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AIM Motor skill impairment and cognitive dysfunction are commonly reported features of neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). We characterized and determined the relationship between motor impairment, gait variables, and cognitive function in children and adolescents with NF1.METHOD Motor function, gait, and neurocognitive abilities were assessed in 46 children and adolescents with NF1 (26 males, 20 females; age range 7-17y; mean age 11y 1mo, SD 3y 2mo). Tests to establish correlations between neurocognitive, motor, and gait variables were performed.RESULTS Compared with normative data, 28/39 of our NF1 cohort demonstrated impaired performance for balance and upper limb coordination and 16/38 for running speed and agility. Gait data revealed a strategy to preserve balance at the expense of velocity, with the unexpected exception of a tendency for reduced base of support. Neurocognitive testing confirmed mean IQ in the low average range (86.0) and deficits in spatial working memory and strategy generation. Significant correlations between a number of neurocognitive measures and motor abilities and gait were identified. The largest associations were between gait width and spatial working memory (r=0.594) and running speed and agility with strategy generation (r=0.549). INTERPRETATIONWe have identified a relationship between balance, running speed and agility, gait, and cognition in children with NF1. Findings suggest a shared abnormal neurodevelopmental process underlying some cognitive and motor abilities in NF1. Results are discussed within the context of evidence highlighting abnormal dopamine-mediated corticostriatal circuitry in NF1.Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is an autosomal dominant genetic condition with a birth incidence of 1 in 2700 individuals.1 Caused by a mutation in the gene encoding neurofibromin on chromosome 17q11.2, NF1 is characterized by a diverse range of cutaneous, neurological, and neoplastic manifestations, including caf e-au-lait macules, skinfold freckling, neurofibromas, and optic pathway tumours. 2Skeletal anomalies have also been documented, including scoliosis, tibial dysplasia/pseudoarthrosis, and sphenoid wing dysplasia. Neurocognitive impairment is also well documented in children with NF1. 3,4 Although intelligence tends to be only mildly affected, specific impairments on measures of attention, executive function, language, and visual perception are common. Given the frequency and severity of cognitive deficits, it is not surprising that up to 70% of children with NF1 underachieve at school, with formal learning disability estimated to be present in approximately 50% of children. 5There is an emerging body of evidence demonstrating motor impairment as a common feature of NF1 in childhood. 4,6,7 Early research in this area documented problems with manual dexterity, balance, and ball skills, with 32% of children exhibiting severe impairment of coordination skills. Reduced motor competency may contribute to a range of poor outcomes for children with NF1. Gross motor skill impairments, fo...

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Working memory, reading, and mathematical skills in children with developmental coordination disorder

Cited by 212 publications

References 53 publications

Short-Term Memory, Working Memory, and Executive Functioning in Preschoolers: Longitudinal Predictors of Mathematical Achievement at Age 7 Years

Short-Term Memory, Working Memory, and Executive Functioning in Preschoolers: Longitudinal Predictors of Mathematical Achievement at Age 7 Years

Examining the cognitive profile of children with Developmental Coordination Disorder

Relationship between cognitive dysfunction, gait, and motor impairment in children and adolescents with neurofibromatosis type 1

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