Article

AIM: To explore associations between developmental coordination disorder (DCD)
and ophthalmic abnormalities in children aged 7 to 8 years. METHOD:
Cross-sectional analysis of data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and
Children (ALSPAC), a UK birth cohort, was performed. DCD was defined according to
DSM-IV criteria. Children with neurological difficulties or IQ less than 70 were
excluded. Ophthalmic abnormalities including visual acuity, refraction, and
binocular function were assessed using standard tests. Children who achieved less
than the 5th centile in the ALSPAC coordination test and either failed the
National Curriculum handwriting test, or achieved less than the 10th centile in
the Activities of Daily Living scale (ADL) were defined as having severe DCD,
while those who scored between the 5th and 15th centiles in the coordination test
and either failed the handwriting test, or achieved less than the 15th centile in
the ADL were defined as having moderate DCD. RESULTS: Complete data were
available for 7154 children. One hundred and twenty children (1.8%) met the
criteria for severe DCD. A further 215 children had moderate DCD. Children with
severe DCD were more likely to have the following: abnormal sensory fusion at
near (odds ratio [95% confidence interval]) (1.98 [1.13-3.48]) and distance (2.59
[1.16-5.79]) and motor fusion (1.74 [1.07-2.84]); reduced stereoacuity (2.75
[1.78-4.23]); hypermetropia (2.29 [1.1-4.57]) and anisometropia (2.27
[1.13-4.60]). The majority of children found to have both DCD and a refractive
error, had been previously prescribed glasses and wore them for the assessments
(71%). INTERPRETATION: Children with severe DCD had abnormalities in binocular
vision, refractive error, and ocular alignment. We recommend that children with
DCD be assessed for ocular abnormalities as early intervention may improve
long-term visual outcome. The impact of untreated ocular abnormalities such as
refractive error on the accuracy of the diagnosis of DCD is difficult to
ascertain and further work would be of benefit.
CI - (c) 2013 Mac Keith Press.

Langue : ANGLAIS