Developmental Coordination Disorder and Handwriting
Research was recently published on developmental coordination disorder (DCD) and handwriting to better understand handwriting dysfluency in children with DCD. The study examined the accuracy and consistency of letter production both within and across different writing tasks.
Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD)
Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is defined by American Psychiatric Association as “children who have motor coordination difficulties unexplained by a general medical condition, intellectual disability, or sensory or neurological impairment”. More specifically, handwriting difficulties are part of the formal diagnostic criteria for DCD. In addition, one of the most common reasons for referral to occupational therapy for children with DCD is difficulties with handwriting.
Previous research indicates that children with DCD have more difficulties with handwriting speed, legibility and greater percentage of time pausing (especially within words) during writing. This suggests decreased automaticity or fluency in handwriting.
Methodology of the Study on Developmental Coordination Disorder and Handwriting
In the current study, the researchers wanted to understand handwriting in children with DCD using the real-time movement of the pen to analyze letter formation. The goal was also to determine which letters were more problematic that others to help with handwriting instruction in children with DCD.
The research design was a non-experimental between-group design to determine the accuracy and consistency of letter formation in 28 children with DCD and 28 typically developing children for the control group. The children were ages 8-15 and were matched for age and handedness.
Using a digital tablet, two tasks from the Detailed Assessment of Speed of Handwriting (DASH) were used to determine handwriting speed and letter formation. The children had to complete the following:
- write the alphabet from memory in under one minute.
- copy “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog” as quickly as possible for 2 minutes.
Results of the Study on DCD and Handwriting
Using data analysis the following results were recorded:
- the children with DCD had a significantly higher percentage of production errors in the alphabet task (writing the lowercase letters of the alphabet from memory in one minute) compared with the typically developing group.
- the most common error made by both groups was the non-standard start position of a letter.
- the second most common error in the DCD group was missing letter strokes.
- the children with development coordination disorder appeared to make slightly more letter reversals and produce additional strokes compared with their TD peers, but these errors did not occur frequently and not at all in the controls.
Conclusion
The researchers concluded that children with developmental coordination disorder have a higher percentage of errors within their letter formations than their typically developing peers. In addition, letter production was less consistent between tasks. Children with DCD may have trouble with the motor program aspect of handwriting. Explicit teaching of letter formation may help improve handwriting speed and letter formation in children with DCD.
Reference:
Prunty, M., & Barnett, A. L. (2019). Accuracy and Consistency of Letter Formation in Children With Developmental Coordination Disorder. Journal of Learning Disabilities. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022219419892851
Read more on Developmental Coordination Disorder and Children
Read more about Developmental Coordination Disorder.
DEVELOPMENTAL COORDINATION DISORDER AND SENSORY PROCESSING
The researchers concluded that the majority of children with developmental coordination disorder presented with some difficulties in sensory processing and integration that impacted on their participation in everyday activities.
PHYSICAL THERAPY INTERVENTIONS AND DEVELOPMENTAL COORDINATION DISORDER
The researchers recommend the use of task-oriented and traditional physical therapy interventions for children with DCD with clear goals and outcome measures for individual children.
The researchers concluded that children with DCD experience difficulty effectively self-regulating motor learning.
10 INTERVENTION TIPS FOR CHILDREN WITH DCD
OPHTHALMIC ABNORMALITIES AND DEVELOPMENTAL COORDINATION DISORDER
The researchers concluded that children with severe DCD had abnormalities in binocular vision, refractive error, and ocular alignment. It is recommend that children with DCD be assessed for ocular abnormalities as early intervention may improve long-term visual outcome.
Dysgraphia, DCD and Reading Disorders – What Does the Research Say?
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