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BACKGROUND: Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) often (<87 %) experience postural control problems, impacting all levels of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) including their daily participation, self-esteem and mental health. Due to the multisystemic nature of postural control, comprehensive therapy should target all systems which is currently not the case. Highly intensive therapy is effective and commonly used in pediatric populations, but has not been explored yet to train postural control in children with DCD. AIMS: To investigate the effects of a highly intensive functional balance therapy camp at all ICF levels in children with DCD. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: The effects on postural control, muscle activity, brain alterations, self-perceived competence, self-identified goals, gross motor activities and participation are evaluated. Participants are assessed pre- and post-intervention, including a 3 months follow-up. Forty-eight children with DCD, aged 6-12 years old, receive 40 h of comprehensive balance training. This intervention is fun, individually tailored, targets all postural control systems, implements different motor learning strategies and includes both individual and group activities. CONCLUSION: Novel insights into the effects of a highly intensive comprehensive balance therapy camp designed for children with DCD will be gained at all levels of the ICF.

Speech disorders can result (1) from sensorimotor impairments of articulatory movements = dysarthria, or (2) from structural changes of the speech organs, in adults particularly after surgical and radiochemical treatment of tumors = dysglossia. The decrease of intelligibility, a reduced vocal stamina, the stigmatization of a conspicuous voice and manner of speech, the reduction of emotional expressivity all mean greatly diminished quality of life, restricted career opportunities and diminished social contacts. Intensive therapy based on the pathophysiological facts is absolutely essential: Functional exercise therapy plays a central role; according to symptoms and their progression it can be complemented with prosthetic and surgical approaches. In severe cases communicational aids have to be used. All rehabilitation measures have to take account of frequently associated disorders of body motor control and/or impairment of cognition and behaviour.

Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) or craniomandibular disorders, respectively, involve diseases of the teeth and periodontia as well as the masticatory muscles, temporomandibular joints and associated structures. It has been shown in recent years that psychological, social and general medical influences are of enormous importance in the etiology of TMD in addition to anatomical, physiological, parafunctional and other biological causes. This signifies that therapists confronted with TMD should already include at an early stage other specialists such as pain therapists, neurologists, ENT physicians, psychotherapists and physiotherapists. Patients need to be referred to dentists specializing in TMD when ENT examinations yield no pathological findings. The treatment of TMD is subdivided into the following steps that are always related to underlying diagnoses: informing patients, self-observation, relaxation therapy, behavioral therapy, physiotherapy, drug therapy, therapeutic local anesthesia, splint therapy, and, if necessary, prosthetic and/or orthodontic therapy to restore a stable occlusion.