Article

Excessive grip force (GF) is often found in children with developmental
coordination disorder (DCD). However, their GF control may vary when task
constraints are imposed upon their motor performance. This study aimed to
investigate how their GF control changes in response to task demands, and to
examine their tactile sensitivity. Twenty-one children with DCD and 17 controls
participated in the study. The instrument used to measure GF was a cylindrical
cup equipped with a load cell. The children were asked to hold and transport
three cups with varying physical properties as quickly as possible. For tactile
function, static and moving two-point discrimination senses were recorded. Data
were analyzed using repeated-measures analysis of covariance. Children with DCD
displayed slower rate of GF generation, which might be related to their lower
sensitivity of two-point dynamic discrimination. Given the slow rate of GF
generation and time constraint, the peak GF for children with DCD was lower than
that for the control children, but the peak GF of both the groups depended on the
time allowed for the performance and the task demand. Both the groups of children
cautiously modulated the grip when the cup was filled with water, and graded GF
according to the physical property of the cup. We conclude that GF control in
children with or without DCD was task dependent.

Langue : ANGLAIS