Developmental Coordination Disorder before the Age of Three: A Longitudinal Retrospective Study in a Belgian Center for Developmental Disabilities

Abstract

This study aimed to explore the association between developmental coordination disorder (DCD) diagnosed after the age of three and both a standardized motor test—the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS)—and non-standardized observation of movement quality carried out before the age of three. Children at risk or with developmental concerns were studied retrospectively. Children were excluded in case of a diagnosis, excluding DCD, e.g., cerebral palsy, or IQ < 70. Of the 503 included children, 246 were diagnosed with (at-risk) DCD. Multivariate binary logistic regression revealed a significant association between DCD diagnosis after the age of three and male gender and with different aspects of poor movement quality in different age groups before the age three. Univariate analyses revealed an association between DCD diagnosis and the number of poor movement-quality descriptions at 0−6 months, 6−12 months, and 18 months−3 years but not with the AIMS scores. The MABC-2 scores after the age of three were significantly correlated with the number of poor movement-quality descriptions in age groups 0−6 months and 18 months−3 years and with the AIMS scores in age groups 6−12 months and 12−18 months. The results suggest that DCD can be associated with poor movement quality before the age of three.

Keywords: developmental coordination disorder; early diagnosis; motor test; movement quality.

Figure 1

Research flow. m, months; y, years; QO, qualitative motor observation.

Figure 2

Prevalence of DCD diagnoses after 3 years in the different age groups in relation to percentile ranges of AIMS scores and to the number of movement quality concerns.