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Abstract #20476 Published in IGR 10-1
Motor skill performance of school-age children with visual impairments
Houwen S; Visscher C; Lemmink KAPM; Hartman EDevelopmental Medicine and Child Neurology 2008; 50: 139-145
The aim of this study was to examine the performance of children with visual impairments (VI) aged 7 to 10 years on different types of motor skills. Furthermore, the association between the degree of the VI and motor performance was examined. The motor performance of 48 children with VI (32 males, 16 females; mean age 8y 10mo [SD 1y 1mo]) was assessed using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (MABC). Their performance was compared with 48 children without VI (33 males, 15 females; mean age 8y 9mo [SD 1y 1mo]). Children with VI showed the poorest performance compared with peers without VI on unimanual speed, eye-hand coordination, catching, static balance, and dynamic balance while moving slowly. There was no significant difference between children with moderate and severe VI, except for bimanual coordination in 7- to 8-year-olds and eye-hand coordination in both the 7- to 8-year-olds and 9- to 10-year-olds, favouring the children with moderate VI. The poor performance compared with children without VI is related to vision, but the degree of the VI does not appear to relate to motor performance, except when associated with bimanual and eye-hand coordination. For children with VI, it seems very important to adjust the environmental context and task to enhance motor performance.
Dr. S. Houwen, Center for Human Movement Sciences, University Medical Center Groningen, PO Box 196, 9700 AD Groningen, Netherlands. S.houwen@med.umcg.nl
Classification:
15 Miscellaneous
1.4 Quality of life (Part of: 1 General aspects)
9.1.1 Congenital glaucoma, Buphthalmos (Part of: 9 Clinical forms of glaucomas > 9.1 Developmental glaucomas)
9.1.2 Juvenile glaucoma (Part of: 9 Clinical forms of glaucomas > 9.1 Developmental glaucomas)
