Physiotherapy in Children With Developmental Coordination Disorder

Introduction

Children with developmental abnormalities are characterized mostly by clumsiness in all other healthy features. The disorder persists to adulthood and affects motor skills gradually, being the severe grade. So, the children have difficulty in rudimentary skills like walking, standing, sitting, and other daily tasks. In addition, the child faces a hard time making up things like dressing, feeding, and grooming. Developmental coordination disorder is one of the most prevalent disorders worldwide, as it affects about five to six percent of school-aged children.

What Is Developmental Coordination Disorder?

Developmental coordination disorder, also referred to as dyspraxia, is a neurodevelopmental disorder influencing the child’s physical coordination. It makes the child perform less in daily tasks and movements than expected in regard to their age. So, the child seems to apprehend and move clumsily. This is attributed to inadequate coordination between cognitive intentions and the body’s potential to compensate for those intentions.

What Is the Etiology or Cause of Developmental Coordination Disorder?

Coordination depends on the integrated functioning of the motor, sensory, cognitive (related to thinking, remembering, and reasoning), and perpetual systems. Therefore, identifying the pathophysiology of developmental coordination disorder is quite challenging. However, it is believed to be caused by the reduced activation of the cerebellum and parietal cortex, along with compromised dexterity (skills of doing things with hands).

What Are the Characteristics of Developmental Coordination Disorder?

The developmental coordination disorder incorporates a wide range of severity, from mild ones in which the child seems quite clumsy. The severe cases influence the child’s feeding abilities, dressing, and playing. Therefore, developmental coordination disorder results in the impairment of a range of movement skills, such as coordination, motor planning, fine motor skills, and gross motor skills. So, the child has a difficult time with the following motor abilities.

• Maintaining balance.

• Hand movements and gestures.

• Learning new skills.

• The transition of movements in new circumstances.

• Sequencing complex movements.

So, the child has impairments with both the types of motor skills, gross and fine motor skills. Gross motor skills involve complex movements where the entire body and associated muscle groups are implied with adequate balance and hand-eye coordination. For example, running, walking, jumping, lifting, and kicking are certain gross motor skills. In contrast, fine motor skills utilize the smaller muscle groups of hands, fingers, and wrists. So, the actions of fine motor incorporate eating, writing, grooming, and other hand tasks.

How Does Physiotherapy Help Treat Developmental Coordination Disorder in Children?

The child with developmental coordination disorder largely lacks strength, balance, and coordination, which can be enhanced with means of physical stimulation. The physiotherapy betters the child's impairments, improving the daily functions and quality of life. The condition differs from individual to individual. So, the therapist employs a tailored approach for each child with developmental coordination disorder, but that relies on the following ailments.

• Strength: The therapist provides the tasks intending to improve the strength by targeting the specific larger muscles in the arms, legs, and trunk. Strength training is essential as it increases bone density, protecting the joints and cartilage. In children, the therapist converts strength training into functional creative games. For instance, the activities can be animal movements such as bear walking, kangaroo jumps, and frog jumps.

• Body Awareness: The therapist allows the child to play with means of obstacles time so that the child apprehends how to plan movements with all fun.

• Sensory System: Children with developmental coordination disorder are impaired not in detecting the sensation but in analyzing and interpreting the sensory information gained. Therefore, they face distress in exerting the sensory information received from the visual, vestibular, and proprioception (body’s ability to sense action, movement, and location) systems. The therapist makes the child aware of sensation and does the training in functional means. The games include the following.

  1. Finger puppets.

  2. Shadow games with hands and torch.

  3. Trampoline.

  4. Clapping hands.

  5. Twister.

• Active Electronic Games: Children with developmental coordination disorder are generally predisposed and willing to play all such active games, even with no contests and events. In addition, certain studies uncovered that children with the condition improved self-belief and self-esteem by contributing to active games, so they are more physically active. In turn, the children gained these qualities without being better at performing movements and daily tasks. So, active electronic games would help.

• Task-Specific Learning: The therapists treat with specified training, feedback, instructions, and prospects on problem-solving concerns so the child can quickly discover and learn the movement skills. The task-specific learning is approached in conjunction with balance, strength, and coordination training.

• Muscle Strength: The children often develop muscle weakness and tightness during growing, resulting in difficulties with standing and sitting postures. The therapists provide different approaches intending to improve strength and flexibility. These exercises pave the way for the prevention of long-term consequences allied with muscle strength.

What Are the Other Exercises That Help Improve Coordination in Children?

The physiotherapists recommend the following exercises for addressing and managing specific elements of this condition.

• Balance: Standing with one leg and opening and then closing eyes helps improve balance. Tandem walking, hopping on a single leg, and walking backward will do.

• Shoulder Muscles: Pull-ups, push-ups, and wheelbarrow racing.

• Hand Skills: Creative activities like rock, paper, and scissors and handling dough will improve hand skills. In addition, playing piano will assist.

• Bilateral Coordination in Means of Left and Right: Swimming, cycling, and catching the ball enhance coordination. With this, climbing tasks of a step ladder and jungle gym.

• Core Muscles: Sit-ups and bridging.

• Hand-Eye Coordination: Throwing and catching the ball enhances visual tracking and, thus, hand-eye coordination. Addedly, other games include baseball, football, and tennis.

How Effective Is Physical Therapy in Treating Developmental Coordination Disorder?

Studies show that task-based approaches, strength training programs, and active electronic games earn benefits for children with developmental coordination disorders. One particular study reveals the sound and efficacy of strength training in improving and advancing strength, proprioception, and motor skills. In addition, active functional gaming tasks eventually improve movement skills, providing fun, enjoyment, and motivation.

Conclusion:

Developmental coordination disorder is a condition affecting physical coordination in children. Physiotherapy is known to have a valuable role in the management of developmental coordination disorder in children. The primary goal in this condition is to improve the coordination, motor skills, and overall physical performance of the child. A therapist specializing in pediatric care can design a tailored treatment plan that considers the needs of a child with this condition. The physiotherapeutic treatment options for developmental coordination disorder include simple exercises and activities.