Motor skills and intelligence in children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder

Abstract

To determine the relationship between motor abilities and intelligence in children and young people with prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) being assessed for fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD).Method: This was a cross-sectional correlational study of children and young people with PAE being assessed for FASD. The relationship between motor abilities (Movement Assessment Battery for Children, Second Edition) and intelligence (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fourth or Fifth Edition) was calculated using correlation and regression analyses. Attention and executive function were considered as potential confounding variables. Results:The relationship between motor abilities and intelligence in 73 children and young people (48 males, 25 females; aged 6-17y, mean age 10y 5mo [SD 2y 9mo]) assessed for FASD was small and statistically non-significant (r=0.05, p=0.67).

Functional domains affected by fetal alcohol spectrum disorder: growing independence of motor skills and intelligence with increasing developmental age

“…It is important to note, however, that the association between cognitive function and motor abilities may be moderated by developmental age. In contrast to the findings in 6‐ to 17‐year‐olds reported by Branton et al 1 and other research in this age group, 2 there were strong correlations ( r > 0.75) between cognitive and motor performance in children with intellectual disabilities with a developmental age below 4 years 3 . The general trend towards stronger independence between different performance domains has prominently been described by the differentiation hypothesis 4 .…”

“…Branton et al 1 show in 73 children and adolescents with prenatal alcohol exposure that motor development and IQ were unrelated ( r = 0.05, p = 0.67). When inspecting the scatter plot in Figure 1, it becomes clear that the IQ test cannot substitute for a test of motor development.…”

“…In their article, Branton et al 1 deplore the fact that physiotherapists and occupational therapists are often not consulted in the treatment of children affected by FASD, which would be important for tailoring interventions that adequately address the individual's specific problems and needs related to their cognitive or motor skills. More high‐quality research on interventions to improve cognitive, neurosensory, and motor skills in individuals with FASD is needed that will guide how they can best be supported in our society.…”