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Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) impairs motor skills in children, particularly handwriting, which is a significant part of school activities and personal development. Current robotic assistants often lack a fully physical interaction or tangible result, thereby limiting their effectiveness in coordination development similar to handwriting. To address this gap, a robotic assistant capable of physical input and output could enhance development. This paper presents the development of a robotic handwriting assistant to aid children with DCD. The prototype is a planar robot controlled via a joystick capable of covering an 8.5" by 11" paper sheet. The paper provides insight into the causal real-world context of the prototype's development and discusses the designs considerations, the conception and the control. It concludes with intial results and the future for the project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is common among intellectual disability children that can worsen motor problems, especially motor skills. The purpose of the study was to examine the effect of combining core stability exercises with coordination exercises on motor proficiency of intellectual disability children with DCD. Methods: The population was boys with intellectual disability and DCD studying in Golestan School of Tabriz randomly that were divided into two groups of 15 subjects in the experimental group and 15 in the control group. Motor skills were evaluated using the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency-Short Form in the pre- and post-test. The experimental group performed three sessions (every week) of 60 minutes of combined core stability with coordination training for eight weeks. SPSS v. 21, dependent t-test, and analysis of covariance at the significance level of P<0.05 were used for statistical analysis. Results: Comparing the means of the two groups showed a positive significant difference in running speed and agility (P=0.001), balance (P=0.001), two-way coordination (P=0.001), strength (P=0.001), upper limb coordination (P=0.001), response speed (P=0.001), speed motor vision control (P=0.001), upper limb agility (P=0.001), and the overall gross and fine motor skills scores (P=0.001) and the combined score of the short scale (P=0.001). Conclusion: The results indicated that combining core stability with a coordination training program can be used to enhance the motor skills of DCD children with intellectual disabilities. Thus, sports coaches and experts, and specialists in other related fields are recommended to use these exercises to enhance the gross and fine motor skills of students with intellectual disabilities, especially those with DCDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various studies have shown the effectiveness of motor interventions for children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). Web-based interventions may provide an opportunity for remote access to effective interventions with less burden on therapists. This systematic review aimed to examine the effects of web-based exercise interventions for children with NDDs. We searched PubMed for relevant articles published in English since 1994 and included intervention studies focusing on NDDs in children aged ≤18 years, who received web-based exercise interventions. We categorized the extracted information by outcome measure and intervention type and assessed the risk of bias of the included studies. We selected five articles whose subjects had autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and developmental coordination disorder (DCD). The exercise interventions used active video games, a Zoom-based intervention, and a WhatsApp-based intervention. Three papers showed improvements in physical activity, motor function, and executive function, whereas two papers on DCD showed no improvements in motor coordination or physical activity. Web-based exercise intervention for children with ASD and ADHD may improve their motor function, executive function, and physical activity rather than for children with NDDs. An intervention may be more effective when the content of the intervention is based on objectives and symptoms, when guidance is provided by specialists, or when sufficient explanation and support are provided to parents. However, more research is needed to statistically evaluate the effectiveness of web-based exercise interventions for children with NDDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research has demonstrated that Taekwondo training helps to enhance the coordination capabilities in people with developmental coordination disorders. These excellent results depend on many factors, including the behavior of the muscular activation patterns of psychomotor exercises during Taekwondo training. Our basic idea is to study the behavior of the muscular activation pattern of Taekwondo training (performed by athletes) and to apply the adapted behavior of the muscular activation pattern to other subjects with reduced coordination capabilities to enhance them, in line with the sustainable human development goals. This paper presents a preliminary feasibility study and a first step in this direction using a virtual simulation. First, the Taekwondo front-kick exercise was studied and reproduced using a virtual human model in OpenSim. Second, some perturbations were applied to the virtual human model to analyze the behavior of the muscular activation patterns. Third, functional electrical stimulation (FES) patterns were properly simulated to reproduce the same sequence (and value) of signals of muscular activation in another subject. The proposed methodology was conceived on the basis of a simple example of a Taekwondo kick by using a virtual human model, but its general application can fit all kinds of psychomotor exercises. If future works confirm the simulation results presented in this paper with real implementation, the methodology proposed here could be applied every time human capabilities must be increased with or without sports training (e.g., remaining seated on a chair or lying on a bed). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Communication between patients and clinicians influences the development of therapeutic relationships. Communication is disrupted when the patient has communication impairments after stroke. However, how these communication disruptions influence therapeutic relationships is not well-understood. This qualitative metasynthesis explores the perspectives of people with communication impairment to understand how interpersonal communication influences therapeutic relationships. Four databases were searched for qualitative studies which discussed how communication influenced therapeutic relationships from the perspectives of people with aphasia, dysarthria or apraxia of speech. Additional papers were identified through citation searching and subject experts. Nineteen eligible papers were included and analysed using thematic analysis. Four themes were constructed from the analysis: (1) Relationships provide the foundation for rehabilitation; (2) Different relational possibilities arise from "reading" the clinician; (3) Creating therapeutic relationships through validating interactions and connections; and (4) Creating therapeutic disconnections through invalidating, exclusionary interactions. A therapeutic relationship develops, at least in part, in response to the clinician's communication and how this is received and experienced by the patient. Understanding the characteristics of relationship-fostering communication and knowing how communication influences relationships can help clinicians critically reflect on their communication and better develop therapeutic relationships with people with communication impairment. Practitioner-patient communication can facilitate therapeutic relationships or create therapeutic disconnections. Communication patterns that are commonly evident when a patient has communication impairments can impede therapeutic relationships. Clinicians need to attend to how their communication is received and how it influences people's sense of self. Communication partner training should address the existential and relational needs of people with communication impairment after stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Academic and practice‐based research constructs specific learning difficulties as a collection of lifelong, within‐person conditions that negatively affect learning and daily functioning. Investigation has historically adopted a medical model, specifically a neurodeficit perspective. Conversely, neurodiversity has emerged as a concept that seeks to understand these conditions as part of a person's identity, challenging cures and remediation, and promoting the importance of understanding those with diagnoses as possessing personal differences and strengths. This paper presents a narrative synthesis that collated and analysed current research and scholarship that sought to understand specific learning difficulties from a neurodiversity perspective, thus offering an original contribution to the existing literature. The review focused on three specific learning difficulties: dyslexia, dyspraxia and dyscalculia. Thematic analysis of papers included in the review led to the construction of three major themes, concluding that further neurodiverse research and scholarship is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The somatosensory system is known to play an important role in the performance of precise and coordinated fine and gross movements. Proprioception, a submodality of the somatosensory system, is the awareness of body and limb position and movement. Proprioception is strongly linked to human motor control, motor learning, and motor development. In light of the reciprocity between proprioception and motor functions, this paper discusses their relationships from a neural motor control perspective. We first introduce the terms proprioception and kinesthesia, along with their definitions, evaluations (e.g., active versus passive position and motion sense methods), and outcome measurements (e.g., proprioceptive sensitivity versus acuity) commonly used in the literature. We also refer to a theoretical framework (i.e., an internal model) that delineates the importance of proprioception for human motor control. We then review the available studies on the developmental course of proprioception and its relation to different domains of motor skills in typically and atypically developing children (i.e., those with developmental coordination disorder). Furthermore, we provide empirical evidence on how motor learning could affect the proprioceptive and motor systems and what types of active proprioceptive motor training (i.e., dance and yoga) could significantly enhance proprioception and movements of the body and limbs. The possible neural pathways that account for the relationship between somatosensory and motor systems are also discussed. Finally, future directions in assessment, methodology, and training/intervention related to proprioceptive and motor systems are considered. This review paper synthesizing the available empirical evidence on somatosensory plasticity and motor functions may be applicable to assessments and interventions in research, clinical, and educational settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this literature review was to detect and study the effectiveness of therapeutic intervention programs, such as physical activities and sports, on children and adolescents with Developmental Motor Coordination Disorder (DCD) to improve their motor skills. The sample for this study consisted of 48 (100%) papers, specifically, 40 (83.5%) articles, 3 (6.2%) doctoral theses, 2 (4.1%) master's theses and 3 (6.2%) papers from conference proceedings from the year 2014 to 2022. To search the sample, the following terms were used: DCD or dyspraxia, physical activity programs, intervention, physical intervention, physical education, etc. The results for the existence of statistically significant results and internal validity of intervention programs using physical activities and sports in children and adolescents with DCD showed that a large number of intervention programs improved the children's motor skills as well as their daily functionality. In contrast, other interventions failed to improve dynamic and static balance. The negative result could be due either to the short duration of the interventions or to the improper suboptimal design—organization of the methodology of these programs—such as the heterogeneous intervention samples and the use of inappropriate and reliable assessment tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidently, Wälder's analysis of mass psychosis and its impact on the individual undoubtedly both deepened and extended Freud's original understanding of mass psychology. (Freud, SE 18: 134) However, Freud added that 'this kind of I differentiating grade in the ego i as a I first step i in an I analysis of the ego i must gradually establish its justification in the most various regions of psychology' (Freud, SE 18, 1920: 132 italics mine). Keywords: mass psychology; mass behaviour; mass psychosis; Robert Wälder; Mass Psychology and the Analysis of the Ego EN mass psychology mass behaviour mass psychosis Robert Wälder Mass Psychology and the Analysis of the Ego 342 352 11 11/01/22 20220901 NES 220901 Introduction Freud's approach to mass psychology builds on the analysis of the individual ego. Foulkes and Wälder In his autobiographical notes, Foulkes recollected "the many hours" he spent discussing the latest advances of psychoanalytic theory with his friend and colleague Robert Wälder in Vienna in the late 1920s ([16]: 120), namely Freud's paper on I Beyond the pleasure principle i ([18]) and most probably also I Mass Psychology and the Analysis of the Ego i ([19]). [Extracted from the article]

Introduction: The cause of Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is unknown, but neuroimaging evidence suggests that DCD may be related to altered brain development. Children with DCD show less structural and functional connectivity compared to typically developing (TD) children, but few studies have examined cortical volume in children with DCD. The purpose of this study was to investigate cortical grey matter volume using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) in children with DCD compared to TD children. Methods: This cross-sectional study was part of a larger randomized-controlled trial (ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT02597751) that involved various MRI scans of children with/without DCD. This paper focuses on the anatomical scans, performing VBM of cortical grey matter volume in 30 children with DCD and 12 TD children. Preprocessing and VBM data analysis were conducted using the Computational Anatomy Tool Box-12 and a study-specific brain template. Differences between DCD and TD groups were assessed using a one-way ANOVA, controlling for total intracranial volume. Regression analyses examined if motor and/or attentional difficulties predicted grey matter volume. We used threshold-free cluster enhancement (5,000 permutations) and set an alpha level of 0.05. Due to the small sample size, we did not correct for multiple comparisons. Results: Compared to the TD group, children with DCD had significantly greater grey matter in the left superior frontal gyrus. Lower motor scores (meaning greater impairment) were related to greater grey matter volume in left superior frontal gyrus, frontal pole, and right middle frontal gyrus. Greater grey matter volume was also significantly correlated with higher scores on the Conners 3 ADHD Index in the left superior frontal gyrus, superior parietal lobe, and precuneus. These results indicate that greater grey matter volume in these regions is associated with poorer motor and attentional skills. Discussion: Greater grey matter volume in the left superior frontal gyrus in children with DCD may be a result of delayed or absent healthy cortical thinning, potentially due to altered synaptic pruning as seen in other neurodevelopmental disorders. These findings provide further support for the hypothesis that DCD is related to altered brain development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The concept and the term of constructional apraxia have been proposed by Karl Kleist and described in his impressive book "Gehirnpathologie", published in 1934. However, the first ever paper under the heading of constructional apraxia was written by Hans Strauss, one of Kleist's pupils, and published in 1924. Nowadays, the term constructional apraxia is still in use to refer to all disorders observed in drawing and assembling activities; its assessment, performed as it was in early studies, is part of common practice in behavioral neurology and neuropsychology. Nonetheless, the concept and the neural underpinnings of constructional apraxia have been deeply revisited with respect to the original proposal. Modern studies demonstrated that drawing and assembling are based on very large and complex brain networks extending in both hemispheres, including the left angular gyrus (as hypothesized by Kleist) but well beyond the original ideas about localization of constructional apraxia. From a clinical point of view, constructional apraxia has poor localizing value but provides valuable diagnostic information for conditions of cognitive impairment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acupuncture Therapy and Clinical Evaluation All stroke sequelae patients with unilateral limb numbness were examined before and after acupuncture therapy using a visual analogue scale (VAS): a score of 0 to 10 was used to describe the degree of numbness; 0 indicated no numbness, and 10 indicated intolerable acute numbness. The majority of the stroke patients had right-hemispheric stroke lesions (n = 14/23 patients). Keywords: acupuncture; stroke; somatosensory dysfunction; functional magnetic resonance imaging; amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation; functional connectivity Corrigendum for this paper has been published. [Extracted from the article]

Learning disabilities or learning disorders are umbrella terms used for wide variety of learning problems like Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, Dysgraphia, and Dyspraxia. These disabilities are due to the neurological disorders which affects brain functions. Early diagnosis of these disabilities in kids from age 3 to 6 will help to start early medical treatments and get them back to the normal condition. we developed a software-based Learning Disability Evaluation Kit called YALU with computer Game Modules for kids targeting their learning disabilities. These Computer game-based modules of the YALU consist of different tasks for the different age levels to identify the symptoms of the disabilities mentioned above. The children's interaction results to each task of the game modules with the answers of the questioner about the children given by the parents will be evaluated with the threshold values given by a panel of consultant psychologist and paediatrician of the normal kids to identify the learning disabilities in kids aged 3–6 years. The result will be given to the respective parties and uploaded to the Website under the child's name. YALU has been tested using 50 students in age 3–5 in three preschools. The teachers have identified Fourteen students with some learning disability symptoms. Using YALU, twelve out of fourteen students had been clearly identified. Hence, the YALU Evaluation Kit to have an accuracy 85% in diagnosing the right disability. However, the accuracy could be increased with the accurate assessments of the parents about their kids. Learning disabilities are neurological disorders that affect the brain's ability to receive, process, store, respond to and communicate information; and there are four types (Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Dysgraphia and Dyscalculia) In this paper, we present the extracted computational techniques targeting the Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Dysgraphia and Dyscalculia and developed a software application (YALU Learning Disability Evaluation Kit) which consists of computer game modules for the kids for evaluation their learning disabilities. The developed game modules can screen the learning disabilities and these gamification modules (YALU) consists of tasks which are based on symptoms of the said disabilities. The outcomes of each module is evaluated these learning disabilities in kids age from 3 years to 6 years by analysing children's interactions to the each tasks, the child condition and then compare the result with the threshold values of the normal kids given by consultant psychologist and paediatrician. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To identify subtypes of developmental coordination disorder (DCD) in children. Method: Children with DCD diagnosed through comprehensive evaluation at Robert‐Debré Children's University Hospital (Paris, France) were consecutively enrolled from February 2017 to March 2020. We performed an unsupervised hierarchical clustering based on principal component analysis using a large set of variables encompassing cognitive, motor, and visuospatial scores (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fifth Edition; Developmental Neuropsychological Assessment, Second Edition; Movement Assessment Battery for Children, Second Edition). Results: One hundred and sixty‐four children with DCD were enrolled (median age 10 years 3 months; male:female ratio 5.56:1). We identified distinct subgroups with mixed visuospatial and gestural disorders, or with pure gestural disorders that predominantly impaired either speed or precision. Associated neurodevelopmental disorders, such as attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder, did not influence the results of the clustering. Importantly, we identified a subgroup of children with marked visuospatial impairment with the lowest scores in almost all of the evaluated domains, and the poorest school performance. Interpretation: The classification of DCD into distinct subgroups could be indicative of prognosis and provide critical information to guide patient management, taking into account the child's neuropsychological profile. Beyond this clinical interest, our findings also provide a relevant framework with homogeneous subgroups of patients for research on the pathogenesis of DCD. What this paper adds: Unsupervised hierarchical clustering identified four subgroups of children with developmental coordination disorder.Two subgroups had combined visuospatial/gestural difficulties, and two had pure gestural disorders.Severe visuospatial impairment was associated with poor performance in most domains including school.Difficulties in the gestural‐only clusters were predominantly either gestural precision or speed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A 14-year-old female presented for a concentrated course of Chiropractic care with primary concerns of poor mental health, including severe chronic anxiety and suicide ideation. A historical diagnosis of anxiety at age five and Developmental Apraxia at age six had preceded her present condition, as well as a childhood history of other non-musculoskeletal presentations, including allergies, poor sleep, and digestive issues. Intervention: The patient commenced a weeklong course of concentrated Chiropractic care, during which she received 104 low-force, specific upper cervical adjustments. These specific chiropractic adjustments were accomplished using the Averio FNT Chiropractic Technique, a specific, sustained contact, low-force Chiropractic technique. The purpose of this course of concentrated chiropractic care was to cause a regenerative event in the patient's body by reversing vertebral subluxations and allowing for a non-surgical regeneration of the patient's damaged spinal ligaments and overall improvement of the central nervous system function. It was hypothesised that if the spine and central nervous system could be made healthier, it would likely have an impact on the patient's presentation of mental illness. Outcomes: While objective measures indicated significant improvements in the patient's subluxation status, significant subjective changes were noted following care. The patient reported a complete reversal of suicidal ideations six weeks following the course of Chiropractic care, as well as a significant reduction in chronic severe anxiety, improved social behaviour, and improved sleep and appetite. The patient's radiographic reassessment six months later showed a complete stabilisation of the ligament damage in the cervical spine and a 121% improvement in the cervical lordosis. Conclusion: Given the significance of neuropsychological development in the adolescent brain and the increasing awareness of the potential for Chiropractic care to support mental health, this case report provides a rationale for further research into chiropractic and mental health and the benefits of concentrated chiropractic care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is a heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorder known for primary symptoms of motor learning and execution difficulties. Recent research has consistently suggested DCD symptoms span broadly beyond motor difficulties, yet a majority of research and practice approaches the investigation, diagnosis, and treatment of DCD with a reductionist framework. Therefore, this paper suggests the paradigm of complexity theory as a means for better conceptualization, assessment, and treatment of DCD. First, the perspective of complexity theory and its relevance to DCD is described. Then, examples from recent research which attempt to acknowledge and capture the complex nature of DCD are highlighted. Finally, suggestions for considering and measuring complexity of DCD in future research and practice are provided. Overall, the perspective of complexity can propel the research forward and improve the understanding of DCD relevant to assessment and treatment. The complexity paradigm is highly relevant to describing the evolving and multidimensional picture of DCD, understanding heterogeneous symptom profiles, making connections to interconnected secondary symptoms, and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The semantic variant of primary progressive aphasia (PPA) is typically associated with a loss of semantic knowledge. Research on the semantic processing in the other clinical variants of PPA is, however, rather sparse and limited to off‐line behavioural studies. Aims: This study aimed to investigate verbal semantic processing in patients with the three variants of PPA by the event‐related potential technique. The presence, latency, amplitude and/or topographic distribution of the N400 effect may be helpful in the diagnosis of PPA and its clinical variants and it provides temporal information about semantic processing (disturbances) in the three variants of PPA. Methods & Procedures: The N400 effect was studied by a categorical word‐priming paradigm and a semantic‐anomaly paradigm at sentence level in eight persons with PPA(‐plus) and 30 age‐matched healthy controls. The mean amplitudes and onset latencies of the N400 effect were compared between each patient and the control group by two methods that are applicable in clinical practice, namely visual inspection and Z‐scores. Outcomes & Results: The N400 effect elicited by the categorical‐priming paradigm was only present in the two patients with the non‐fluent variant of PPA. This effect was absent in the two patients with the semantic variant(‐plus), two patients with the logopenic variant(‐plus), one patient with the non‐fluent variant‐plus, and the patient with PPA not otherwise specified. The results of the N400 effect elicited by the semantic‐anomaly task at the sentence level were variable, but differences in the presence, mean amplitudes, onset latencies and/or topographic distributions of the effect were found in all patients with PPA(‐plus) in comparison with the control group. Conclusions & Implications: The results of our study showed that the evaluation of the N400 effect might have an added value in the diagnostic process of PPA in general and in the differentiation of patients with the non‐fluent variant from patients with the logopenic and semantic variants. Furthermore, our results indicate the presence of difficulties with retrieving stored semantic knowledge or semantic integration of a word in the preceding context in patients with the three variants of PPA. These findings might help the speech–language pathologist in determining individualized therapy goals and indicate that it might be helpful to focus on verbal semantic processing in language therapy in patients with the three variants of PPA and not only in patients with the semantic variant. What this paper adds: What is already known on the subject: The semantic variant of PPA is characterized by an impaired object knowledge and single‐word comprehension and these functions are relatively spared in the non‐fluent and logopenic variants following the guidelines of Gorno‐Tempini et al. (2011). Research on the semantic processing in patients with the non‐fluent and logopenic variant is, however, rather sparse and limited to off‐line behavioural studies. Only four group studies investigated verbal semantic processing by the N400 effect, and these studies indicate disturbances in the three variants of PPA. What this paper adds to existing knowledge: Our results indicate the presence of difficulties with retrieving stored semantic knowledge or semantic integration of a word in the preceding context during a semantic‐priming paradigm in patients with the semantic and logopenic variants of PPA and during a semantic‐anomaly task at the sentence level in patients with the three variants of PPA. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?: The results of our study showed that the evaluation of the N400 effect might have an added value in the diagnostic process of PPA in general and in the differentiation of patients with the non‐fluent variant from patients with the logopenic and semantic variants. The evaluation of the N400 effect might also help the speech–language pathologist in determining individualized therapy goals and indicate that it might be helpful to focus on verbal semantic processing in language therapy in patients with the three variants of PPA and not only in patients with the semantic variant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) affects movement coordination, but little is known about how the condition impacts the behaviours of car drivers and pedestrians. Aims: This study examined the self-reported driving and pedestrian behaviours of adults with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). Methods and procedures: One hundred and twenty-eight participants (62 adults with DCD vs. 66 TD adults) responded to an online survey asking them about their perceptions of confidence and self-reported driving and pedestrian behaviours in the real-world. Outcomes and results: Results suggested that adults with DCD felt less confident and reported more lapses in attention (e.g., forgetting where their car was parked) and errors (e.g., failing to check their mirrors prior to a manoeuvre) when driving compared to typically developed (TD) adults. Adults with DCD also reported feeling less confident and reported less adherence to road traffic laws (e.g., not waiting for a green crossing signal before crossing the road) when walking as pedestrians. Conclusions and implications: These results offer some much-needed insight into the behaviours of those with DCD outside of the laboratory environment and underline the need for research investigating the driving and pedestrian behaviours of individuals with DCD in 'real-world' contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies of children's consistency of word production allow identification of speech sound disorder. Inconsistent errors are reported for two groups of children: childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) due to difficulty with the motoric precision and consistency of speech movements; and inconsistent phonological disorder (IPD) attributed to impaired phonological planning. This paper describes the inconsistent productions of children with IPD in comparison to typically developing children. In two studies of suspected SSD (N = 135), 22 children pronounced ≥40% of 25 words inconsistently on three repeated trials. No participant had symptoms of CAS. They were monolingual and spoke Australian- or Irish-English. Assessment determined the proportions of words said consistently (i.e. the same across productions: all correct or with the same error) or inconsistently (i.e. differently across productions: at least one correct and one error or different errors in productions). Qualitative analyses examined error types and explored the effect of target words' characteristics on inconsistency. Children with IPD produced 52% of words with different errors. While 56% of all phoneme errors were developmental (age appropriate or delayed), atypical errors typified inconsistency: default sounds and word structure errors. Words with more phonemes, syllables and consonant clusters were vulnerable to inconsistency, but their frequency of occurrence had no effect. TD children and those with IPD had different quantitative and qualitative error profiles, confirming IPD as a diagnostic category of SSD. Qualitative analyses supported the hypothesised deficit in phonological planning of words' production for children with IPD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to study Cassirer's philosophy of the body, and some of its foundations developed in the report entitled "Pathology of Symbolic Consciousness." It details how patients with cerebral aphasia and apraxia are characterized by a loss of symbolization abilities in the performance of operational tasks, as well as in their linguistic performance, which translates into a decrease in the ability to create cultural meaning. These cases allow one to evaluate the definition of the human being as a "symbolic animal" that is presented in An Essay on Man. An interpretative reading of both works is proposed to underline the role of the body in the development of (a) the symbolic formation process and (b) cultural development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dyslexia is likely one of the most misunderstood conditions impacting on educational outcomes at all levels, in and across all practice and intellectual domains. This paper discusses a project carried out by two qualified social workers, one an academic involved in teaching and assessing social work students, the other a doctoral student with a formal diagnosis of dyslexia and dyspraxia. The research involved nine social work students from three different universities who identified as having dyslexia. Semi-structured interviews were held in order to identify challenges experienced by participants as well as any strategies they used to ameliorate them. The data from the interviews were coded and analyzed, and the findings indicated a range and variety of experiences. Participants described feeling anxious and questioned their ability to study social work, both at university and on placement. Feelings of exhaustion were noted, which indicated the need to examine and potentially to rebalance educators' expectations across academic and practical roles, and to provide support for students to meet workload requirements particularly when on placement. Findings from the interviews were shared with academic staff and practice educators. Additionally, a "good practice" guide was produced to support educators in placement as well as in universities [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study aimed to (1) quantify attention and executive functioning in children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD), (2) assess whether some children with DCD are more likely to show attention difficulties, and (3) characterize brain correlates of motor and attention deficits. Method: Fifty‐three children (36 with DCD and 17 without) aged 8 to 10 years underwent T1‐weighted and diffusion‐weighted magnetic resonance imaging, and standardized attention and motor assessments. Parents completed questionnaires of executive functioning and symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity. We assessed regional cortical thickness and surface area, and cerebellar, callosal, and primary motor tract structure. Results: Analyses of covariance and one‐sample t‐tests identified impaired attention, non‐motor processing speed, and executive functioning in children with DCD, yet partial Spearman's rank correlation coefficients revealed these were unrelated to one another or the type or severity of the motor deficit. Robust regression analyses revealed that cortical morphology in the posterior cingulate was associated with both gross motor skills and inattentive symptoms in children with DCD, while gross motor skills were also associated with left corticospinal tract (CST) morphology. Interpretation: Children with DCD may benefit from routine attention and hyperactivity assessments. Alterations in the posterior cingulate and CST may be linked to impaired forward modelling during movements in children with DCD. Overall, alterations in these regions may explain the high rate of non‐motor impairments in children with DCD. What this paper adds: Children with developmental coordination disorder have difficulties in attention, processing speed, and executive functioning.Non‐motor impairments were not interrelated or correlated with the type or severity of motor deficit.Posterior cingulate morphology was associated with gross motor skills and inattention.Gross motor skills were also associated with left corticospinal tract morphology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to develop further the idea that symptoms that emerge in speech and language processing following brain damage can make a contribution to discussions of the early evolution of language. These diverse impairments are called aphasia, and this paper proposes that the recovery of a non-fluent aphasia syndrome following stroke could provide insights into the course of the pre-history of human language evolution. The observable symptoms emerge during recovery, crucially enabled by (dis)inhibition in parallel with a range of impairments in action processing (apraxias), including apraxia of speech. They are underpinned by changes in cortical and subcortical status following brain damage. It is proposed that the observed recovery mimics ontogenic and phylogenic processes in human speech and language. The arguments put forward provide insights tending to support the motor-gestural model of speech and language evolution. This article is part of the theme issue 'Reconstructing prehistoric languages'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To perform a scoping literature review of associations between risk factors in early life and developmental coordination disorder (DCD). Method: PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Web of Science (January 1994–March 2019) were searched to identify studies on early risk factors and motor impairment or DCD. The effect of single and multiple risk factors was assessed. Level of evidence was evaluated following the Centre for Evidence‐Based Medicine guidelines. Meta‐analysis on the effect of preterm birth was performed. Results: Thirty‐six studies fulfilled inclusion criteria; 35 had evidence level 3, one had level 4. Highest evidence was available that preterm birth and male sex in term‐born children were associated with DCD. The odds ratio of preterm birth was 2.02 (95% confidence interval: 1.43–2.85). Low to moderate evidence was available that parental subfertility, maternal smoking during pregnancy, postnatal corticosteroid treatment in infants born preterm, extra corporeal membrane oxygenation, retinopathy of prematurity, abnormalities on magnetic resonance imaging scans at term age, and accumulating perinatal or neonatal risk factors were associated with motor impairment. Interpretation: Limited information on early risk factors of DCD is available. Only preterm birth and male sex were consistently associated with an increased risk of DCD. What this paper adds: Preterm birth is a risk factor for developmental coordination disorder (DCD).In term‐born children, male sex was consistently associated with DCD.Risk factors for DCD are similar to risk factors for cerebral palsy. What this paper adds: Preterm birth is a risk factor for developmental coordination disorder (DCD).In term‐born children, male sex was consistently associated with DCD.Risk factors for DCD are similar to risk factors for cerebral palsy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To date services for children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) have not been informed by the perspective of children with DCD. This study aimed to synthesise the findings of discrete qualitative studies reporting the lived experiences views and preferences of children and young with DCD using a meta-ethnographic approach to develop new conceptual understandings. Methods: A systematic search of ten databases; Academic Search Complete, AMED, CINAHL, ERIC, MEDLINE, PsychArticles, PsychInfo, EMBASE, SPORTDiscus, and Web of Science, was conducted between March and April 2019, and updated in early June 2020. Meta-ethnography, following the method described by Noblit and Hare was used to synthesise included studies. The Joanna Briggs Institute Checklist was used to appraise all included papers. PROSPERO registration number CRD42019129178. Results: Fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Meta-ethnographic synthesis produced three themes; a) 'It's harder than it should be': Navigating daily activities b) Fitting in, and c) 'So what? I drop things': Strategies and supports to mitigate challenges. Children with DCD describe a mismatch between their abilities and performance norms for daily activities that led to a cascade of negative consequences including negative self-appraisal, bullying and exclusion. In the face of these difficulties children described creative and successful strategies they enacted and supports they accessed including; assistance from others (parents, friends and teachers), focusing on their strengths and talents, accepting and embracing their difference, adopting a "just do it" attitude, setting personal goals, self-exclusion from some social activities, using humour or sarcasm, viewing performance expectations as a social construct, and enjoying friendships as a forum for fun, acceptance and protection against exclusion. Conclusion: Service provision for children and young people with DCD should address the social and attitudinal environments, focus on friendship and social inclusion and address stigma-based bullying particularly within the school environment. Furthermore, practitioners should identify and foster children's own strategies for navigating daily life activities with DCD. The identified themes resonate with contemporary disability theory and the International Classification of Functioning. The social and attitudinal environmental context of children and young people with DCD profoundly influences their experiences. Future intervention development and service provision for children and young people with DCD should consider opportunities to address social and attitudinal environmental factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Prenatal vitamin D deficiency is a common health concern among immigrants. No previous studies have examined the associations between prenatal vitamin D levels and developmental disorders of language, scholastic skills, and coordination in an immigrant sample. Methods: The sample included 542 immigrant mothers of cases with language, scholastic, coordination or mixed developmental disorders, 443 immigrant mothers of controls without these disorders and 542 Finnish mothers of controls. Maternal vitamin D was measured in serum samples collected during early pregnancy and stored in a national biobank. Results: The mean vitamin D levels during pregnancy were 25.0 (SD 14.4) nmol/L for immigrant mothers of cases, 25.4 (SD 15.5) for immigrant mothers of controls and 42.3 (SD 19.1) for Finnish mothers of controls. Low maternal vitamin D levels during pregnancy were not associated with the selected developmental disorders in offspring when immigrant mothers of cases were compared to immigrant mothers of controls (adjusted OR for continuous log-transformed vitamin D: 1.01, 95% CI 0.75–1.36, p = 0.96). When immigrant mothers of cases were compared to Finnish mothers of controls, the adjusted OR for continuous vitamin D was 18.94 (95% CI 11.47–31.25), p <0.001). The results were similar when vitamin D was examined as a categorical variable or divided into quintiles. Conclusions: Prenatal vitamin D levels were low, and similar, among immigrant mothers of cases with selected developmental disorders and unaffected controls. This indicates that vitamin D unlikely mediates previously observed associations between maternal immigrant status and the selected developmental disorders in offspring. The proportion of immigrant mothers with severe vitamin D deficiency was very high, which underlines the importance of prenatal counselling and overall public health efforts to improve immigrant health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Assess whether school-based teacher-led screening is effective at identifying children with motor difficulties. Methods: Teachers tested 217 children aged between 5 and 11 years old, after a one hour training session, using a freely available tool (FUNMOVES). Four classes (n = 91) were scored by both researchers and teachers to evaluate inter-rater reliability. Researchers assessed 22 children using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (MABC-2; considered to be the 'gold standard' in Europe for use as part of the diagnostic process for Developmental Coordination Disorder) to assess concurrent and predictive validity. Results: Inter-rater reliability for all individual activities within FUNMOVES ranged from 0.85–0.97 (unweighted Kappa; with 95%CI ranging from 0.77–1). For total score this was lower (κ = 0.76, 95%CI = 0.68–0.84), however when incorporating linear weighting, this improved (κ = 0.94, 95%CI = 0.89–0.99). When evaluating FUNMOVES total score against the MABC-2 total score, the specificity (1, 95%CI = 0.63–1) and positive predictive value (1; 95%CI = 0.68–1) of FUNMOVES were high, whereas sensitivity (0.57, 95%CI = 0.29–0.82) and negative predictive values (0.57, 95%CI = 0.42–0.71) were moderate. Evaluating only MABC-2 subscales which are directly related to fundamental movement skills (Aiming & Catching, and Balance) improved these values to 0.89 (95%CI = 0.52–1) and 0.93 (95%CI = 0.67–0.99) respectively. Interpretation: Teacher-led screening of fundamental movement skills (via FUNMOVES) is an effective method of identifying children with motor difficulties. Such universal screening in schools has the potential to identify movement difficulties and enable earlier intervention than the current norm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The paper presents the results of a research survey focused on individual combination therapy in individuals with motor deficits during childhood. The research was carried out in 2020/2021. Two patients were selected based on predetermined relevant criteria and participated in the research survey. Intervention approaches within the research survey were focused on the development of the motor skills of the chosen patients suffering from cerebral palsy or dyspraxia. Furthermore, the patients' social adaptability was supported together with their independence and self-sufficiency in coping with everyday tasks. Sample: Two patients (N = 2) participated in the research survey based on intended sampling (i.e., motor deficit, age 7–9 years, participation in rehabilitation interventions max. 4 times a month). Based on the predetermined criteria, the two patients were contacted, one of which (N = 1) was diagnosed with cerebral palsy diparesis (ICD-10; G80.1: spastic diplegic cerebral palsy, 8.8 years of age), and the other patient (N = 1) suffered from developmental dyspraxia (ICD-10; F82: a specific developmental disorder of motor functions, 7.4 years of age). The single-case research design method was applied to process the results. This type of qualitative research enabled us to study in detail a small number of participants, specifically in our research (N = 2), one individual patient who suffered from cerebral palsy and the other individual patient diagnosed with developmental dyspraxia. The choice of two individual patients would help us to obtain a better idea of the effect of the chosen combination therapy. A standardized modified FIM test (Functional Independence Measure) was used to present the results. Results: The presented results of the research survey using the single-case research design method point to the following findings. The chosen intervention method using combination therapy demonstrably improved the patients' conditions within the monitored indicators. When the intervention was omitted and only the usual rehabilitation procedures were conducted, the patients' conditions deteriorated and decreased to the initial values. Conclusion: Based on the presented results, combination therapy appears to be an effective approach for individuals with motor deficits at a younger school age. The combination of selected rehabilitation approaches using classical procedures as well as robotically assisted therapy is desirable in practice as it meets the requirements for rehabilitation in the 21st century. The survey results offer conclusions and recommendations for practice regarding the research topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This review focuses on six key papers published in the mid 2000 s based on work conducted in Cambridge. The first two relate to clinico-pathological studies which established that Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a relatively common cause of focal cortical syndromes, notably progressive aphasia (largely nonfluent), progressive apraxia, and posterior cortical atrophy with complex visual symptoms. Building on these findings, criteria for the progressive aphasias have been developed which define the variant associated with AD (progressive logopenic aphasia). Memory in the dementias has been a major area of interest and one paper discussed here explored the neural basis for episodic and semantic memory failure in AD and semantic dementia. Despite very different memory profiles, the two disorders both cause severe hippocampal hypometabolism and atrophy but differ in the degree of involvement of other memory related structures. This work drew attention to the role of pathology in non-hippocampal structures early in AD. The next two articles deal with the behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) which we have shown is associated with breakdown in theory of mind, social reasoning, empathy, and emotion processing and contributed to work on the neural basis of social cognition. We also identified a subgroup of bvFTD who fail to progress over many years, termed phenocopy cases, who are differentiated by their lack of atrophy on MRI. The final paper described the application of the Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination-Revised, which has proven a useful brief assessment tool for the early detection of a range of neurodegenerative disorders including AD and FTD. It also appears to be helpful in predicting those with mild cognitive impairment who will progress to frank dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to effectively habilitate adults with apraxia and children with developmental dyspraxia, teachers and clinicians must have a sound understanding of the neuromotor basis of movement as well as an understanding of the etiology of this motor disorder. This paper describes the neural basis of apractic disorders from both an anatomical and a neuropsychological framework. Motor control and learning theories are used as a foundation for intervention programming. The functional-based approach espoused in this manuscript emphasizes that educators and therapists provide the individual with apraxia with enhanced polymodal sensory input--tactile, vestibularproprioceptive, verbal, and visual information--within a context-dependent environment. The literature reviewed in this paper should help practitioners and researchers better understand those problems seen in individuals who have apractic disorders and should assist them in developing more effective motor remediation programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The long-term efficacy and safety of deep brain stimulation (DBS) implant for Parkinson's disease (PD) is described in several recent papers. This procedure has been reported to permit a stable reduction of dopaminergic therapy requirements for up to 5 years, although some expectation of deterioration in non-dopaminergic signs has been recently stated. Our aim is to perform a literature-based review of papers available describing long-term post-operative follow-up after a bilateral implant for subthalamic DBS (STN-DBS). Only peer-reviewed published papers with a post-operative follow-up of at least 5 years were considered. Clinical outcome, disease progression and side effects were assessed at baseline and 2 (or 3 years) and 5 years after surgery. Seven papers were included in the review. A total of 238 patients were analyzed. STN-DBS was confirmed to be an effective treatment for selected patients with PD. In all studies, off-related motor symptoms improved dramatically, compared with pre-implant, at 2 (or 3, according to the study) years and this result persisted at 5-year evaluations. Antiparkinsonian drug reductions, improvements in motor fluctuations and dyskinesias, functional measures and the progression of underlying PD were also reported in all series. Some axial scores, in particular postural stability and speech, improved transiently. Persisting adverse effects included eyelid opening apraxia, weight gain, psychiatric disorders, depression, dysarthria, dyskinesias, and apathy. The present review of the 5-year observations confirms that STN-DBS is a powerful method in the management of PD, but its long-term effects must be thoroughly assessed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]