Motor Development in Children

A special issue of Children (ISSN 2227-9067). This special issue belongs to the section "Global and Public Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2024 | Viewed by 2214

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Campus de Alcorcón, Av. de Atenas s/n, Alcorcón, 28922 Madrid, Spain
Interests: child rehabilitation; motor development; neurorrehabilitation; movement analysis; biomechanics

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Campus de Alcorcón, Av. de Atenas s/n, Alcorcón, 28922 Madrid, Spain
Interests: child rehabilitation; motor development; neurorrehabilitation; movement analysis; biomechanics
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Correct motor development in children is essential to acquire all the motor skills necessary for independence in daily activities. However, alterations in this development are very common disorders throughout a child's developmental stage and can limit the acquisition of gross and fine motor skills.

This Special Issue of Children focuses on the different alterations in motor development in children who present with some type of neurological pathology, such as cerebral palsy, autism spectrum disorder, myopathies, minor neurological dysfunctions, etc., or those who do not present with neurological damage but present deficits in motor development, such as children who are preterm or present with developmental coordination disorders, among others.

Papers addressing these topics are invited for this Special Issue.

Prof. Dr. María Carratalá-Tejada
Prof. Dr. Alicia Cuesta-Gómez
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Children is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • motor development
  • postural control
  • children
  • child rehabilitation
  • gross motor skills
  • fine motor skills

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 802 KiB  
Article
Postural Control and Sensory Processing in Preschool Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder: A Cross-Sectional Study
by Marta Ferreiro-Pérez, Vanesa Abuín-Porras, Patricia Martín-Casas and Rosa M. Ortiz-Gutiérrez
Children 2024, 11(3), 303; https://doi.org/10.3390/children11030303 - 05 Mar 2024
Viewed by 1131
Abstract
The role of sensory processing in maintaining postural control (PC) among preschool-aged children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) remains underexplored despite its potential implications for their developmental trajectory. This study aimed to assess the utilization of sensory information for PC maintenance while standing [...] Read more.
The role of sensory processing in maintaining postural control (PC) among preschool-aged children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) remains underexplored despite its potential implications for their developmental trajectory. This study aimed to assess the utilization of sensory information for PC maintenance while standing in preschool-aged children with ASD and to examine its correlation with PC during functional tasks using a standardized tool. The cross-sectional study recruited 27 children, aged between 3 and 6 years, diagnosed with ASD. Participation indexes for somatosensory, vestibular, visual, and visual preference were computed during a modified Clinical Test of Sensory Integration and Balance (m-CTSIB), based on sagittal plane body sway analyzed via video with Kinovea® software (version 0.9.4). Additionally, scores from the Pediatric Balance Scale (PBS) were analyzed. Statistical analysis of data derived from lateral malleolus and mastoid process sway using the Friedman test revealed significant differences in the utilization of various sensory systems involved in PC during the m-CTSIB (p < 0.001). There was a pronounced reliance on somatosensory information, coupled with increased instability in the absence or with the variability of visual information. The mean PBS score was 50.44 ± 2.74, exhibiting a significant negative correlation with the vestibular index (p < 0.05). Preschool-aged children with ASD demonstrated challenges in maintaining PC while standing under different sensory conditions, indicating a heightened dependence on somatosensory cues, particularly in the absence or with the variability of visual stimuli. While these challenges were not reflected in PBS scores, they were negatively correlated with the vestibular index. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Motor Development in Children)
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10 pages, 250 KiB  
Article
Differences in Motor Development between Preterm Infants and Full-Term Preschool Children
by Alicia Cuesta-Gómez, Pilar Fernández-González, María Carratalá-Tejada and Inmaculada Aguilar-Bejines
Children 2024, 11(2), 252; https://doi.org/10.3390/children11020252 - 16 Feb 2024
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Abstract
Although advances in obstetric and neonatal care have improved the survival of preterm infants, many studies document the increased risk of motor and sensory neurodevelopmental abnormalities that can hinder school progress. The aim of this study was to analyze the differences in gross [...] Read more.
Although advances in obstetric and neonatal care have improved the survival of preterm infants, many studies document the increased risk of motor and sensory neurodevelopmental abnormalities that can hinder school progress. The aim of this study was to analyze the differences in gross and fine motor development in children born preterm and full term aged 3 to 6 years using the Peabody Developmental Motor Scales 2 (PDMS-II). Fifteen preterm and fifteen term children, matched for age and sex, participated in this study. They were evaluated with the PDMS-II scale. The scores obtained in the PDMS-II scale showed statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) in all subscales except for the “grasping” subscale. No dissimilarities were found between children who attended an early intervention program and those who did not participate, nor was there any correlation between week of gestation and birth weight and motor development in preschool. The results obtained show that differences are found with respect to motor development, with lower scores for those born preterm compared to children born at term. No statistically significant difference was found between preterm children who attended early intervention and those who did not. No correlation was found between motor development at preschool age and birth weight and gestational age. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Motor Development in Children)
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