Evaluation of Coordination Deficits in Children with Minimal Cerebral Dysfunction

Differentiation of Learning Disabled Children from Normal Children Using Four Coordination Tasks

“…4,9 DeHaven and associates concluded in one of their studies that the rate of performance in alternate motion involving the smaller muscles of the distal extremities may be used in diagnosing children with minimal cerebral dysfunction. 3 Vega reported similar findings when he used the Halstead Finger Oscillation Test as a screening tool to differentiate brain damaged patients from a control group. 7 Ayres found that children with neurological disorders exhibit perceptual deficits and corresponding kinesthetic dysfunctions.…”

“…Several authors have found that fine-motor skilled abilities are often impaired in children with leanrug disabilities. 3,[6][7][8] This motor dysfunction is particularly observable when parts of the body must work with each other for coordination and fine-motor tasks. 4,9 Children with learning disabilities may exhibit poor coordination, poor balance, and general clumsiness.…”

“…In a study published in 1969, DeHaven and associates administered a test to evaluate coordination deficits in 122 children from 7 to 18 years of age. 3 Of these children, 62 had been classified as having minimal cerebral dysfunction and 60 children had been classified as being normal. From the designed test, the authors derived 40 test variables for the coordination tasks.…”

“…It investigates the possibility of differentiating normal children from learning disabled children by using the four tasks that DeHaven and associates found pertinent to the diagnosis of minimal cerebral dysfunction. 3 These tasks are part of the Devereux Test of Extremity Coordination. The test is part of the total Devereux Image program (Individual Motor Achievement through Guided Education), a method developed by The Devereux Foundation, Devon, PA, primarily for emotionally handicapped or neurologically impaired children in the 4-to-10 age range.…”

Equilibrium Reactions in Normal Children and in Boys with Sensory Integrative Dysfunction

“…However, learning disabled children, including children with sensory integrative (51) dysfunction, who have no obvious, measurable central nervous system (CNS) pathology, are also described as having abnormal equilibrium responses that contribute to clumsiness and lack of coordination. Clumsiness and lack of coordination, in turn, may contribute to their cognitive deficits (Arnheim & Sinclair, 1979;Ayres, 1972;Cratty, 1975;DeHaven, Mordock, & Loykovich, 1969;DeQuiros & Schrager, 1978;Kephart, 1971;Knickerbocker, 1980;Pyfer & Carlson, 1972). Certainly these children are able to walk and carry out other skilled activities in a relatively normal and nonstereoryped manner.…”