Document Type

Article

Publication Date

10-2022

Publisher

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)

Source Publication

Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools

Source ISSN

0161-1461

Abstract

Purpose: Children with childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) evidence a high rate of co-occurring fine and gross motor deficits. This clinical focus article reports a preliminary investigation of characteristics of developmental coordination disorder (DCD), a neurodevelopmental disorder categorized by poor motor proficiency and functional limitations, in this population. Method: Children with CAS underwent a comprehensive motor evaluation using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children–Second Edition, the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire, and a developmental history questionnaire to determine if they met criteria for a DCD diagnosis as specified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5). Results: Six out of seven participants met DCD criteria based on the DSM-5 criteria. Four of these children had a co-occurring diagnosis of developmental language disorder, and all met criteria for DCD. Conclusions: Consistent with previous research, the majority of participants demonstrated motor deficits and 85% met criteria for DCD. Despite this high rate of motor deficits, only 57% had previously undergone a physical/occupational therapy evaluation and intervention and only one had a previous diagnosis of DCD. These findings suggest that formal movement assessments are essential for children with a CAS diagnosis.

Comments

Published version. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, Vol. 53, No. 4 (2022): 1006-1021. DOI. © 2022 American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Used with permission.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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