Movement Strategies During Balance Tasks in Children With and Without Developmental Coordination Disorder

Launched by HASSELT UNIVERSITY · Jan 27, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying how children learn to balance and whether there are differences between children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) and those without. The researchers want to understand not only how these children perform balance tasks but also how their brains are active while they are learning. This information could help improve strategies for teaching balance to children who struggle with coordination.

To be eligible for the study, children with DCD must have a formal diagnosis from a doctor and show balance difficulties. Children without DCD should have normal balance abilities and be matched in age and sex with those who have DCD. Participants in the trial will engage in balance tasks while researchers observe and measure their performance and brain activity. This study is not yet recruiting, but it aims to help better support children facing challenges with coordination and balance.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • For children with DCD
• • Children with the clinical diagnosis of Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) based on criteria of the DSM-5 (APA, 2013), diagnosed by a pediatrician.
• • Children who have no formal diagnosis are evaluated by the research team using the diagnostic criteria as outlined in the inclusion criteria, these children will be included as "suspected of having DCD"
• • Balance problems need to be present and objectified with the Balance Evaluation Systems Test for Children, second edition (Kids-BESTest-2). (total score below 80%)
• • For children without DCD
• • Total score at or below the 25th percentile on the Movement Assessment Battery for children, second edition
• • Normal postural control, objectified by the Kids-BESTest-2 (score at or above 80%)
• • Match with children with DCD based on their sex, age and potential comorbidities.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• Presence of:
• • Intellectual problems
• • Visual problems
• • Vestibular problems
• • Neurological conditions
• • Not able to follow instructions due to behavioral problems
• • Refuse to participate