Assessment of cardiorespiratory and neuromotor fitness in children with developmental coordination disorder.
Kids with DCD show clear heart-lung deficits that go beyond poor coordination.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Farhat et al. (2014) ran a lab test on kids with suspected developmental coordination disorder (DCD). They used a cycle test, a lung test, and a six-minute walk to see how strong the heart and lungs are.
Each child pedaled until tired, blew into a spirometer, then walked as far as possible. The team compared scores to same-age kids without motor problems.
What they found
Kids with DCD finished with lower peak oxygen, smaller lung volumes, and shorter walk distance. The gaps were large enough to flag real health risk, not just clumsy movement.
The results say the fitness problem is both in the heart pump and the lung bags.
How this fits with other research
Rivilis et al. (2011) already pooled 40 studies and saw the same pattern: children with DCD are consistently less fit. Faiçal’s lab data now give one clear picture inside that big review.
Berkovits et al. (2014) ran a similar lab test the same year. They warned that poor scores can come from bad timing, not weak muscles. Faiçal adds real lung and heart proof, so we know the low numbers are not just a coordination artefact.
Chirico et al. (2012) tracked the same kids for three years and found higher cardiac output driven by extra body fat. Faiçal’s snapshot and Daniele’s follow-up fit like puzzle pieces: low fitness today can grow into heart load tomorrow.
Why it matters
When a child with DCD looks slow on the playground, do not stop at “motor issue.” Add a quick six-minute walk or small bike test in your next assessment. If numbers are low, write a goal for aerobic play, not just coordination drills. You will protect both motor skills and long-term heart health.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
The decreased participation in physical activity by children with probable developmental coordination disorder (pDCD) has raised concerns about their aerobic fitness and lung function levels. The purpose of the present study was to examine assessment of cardiorespiratory and neuromotor fitness, using laboratory-based tests during an incremental treadmill protocol in healthy children with and without pDCD. Twenty sex children ages 6-9 years took part in this study. Motor coordination was assessed using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (MABC). All participants performed a cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) on a cycle ergometer. Pulmonary function was assessed by spirometric measurements (forced vital capacity: FVC, forced expiratory volume in 1s: FEV1) and walking distance (6MWD) was assessed using the 6-min walking test. The children with pDCD had lower VO2max than children without pDCD (p < 0.01). Moreover, FVC and FEV1 were significantly higher in children without pDCD than in children with the disorder (p < 0.05, p < 0.01 respectively). Likewise, children with pDCD had poorer performance on the 6MWD than children without pDCD (p < 0.01). A significant correlation between the absolute value for FEV1 and 6MWD (r = 0.637, p < 0.05) in pDCD group was observed. We found a significant correlation between VO2max and MABC score (r = -0.612, p < .001) and between VO2max and 6MWD (r = 0.502, p < .001) for all children. Moreover, a significant correlation between VO2max and FEV1 (r = 0.668, p < .05) was found in children with pDCD. Overall, the reduced aerobic capacity of DCD was associated with decreased of lung function, as well as an alteration of peripheral muscle responses.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2014 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2014.08.028