Blind evaluation of body reflexes and motor skills in learning disability.
Most kids with learning disabilities have hidden motor and balance problems that simple tests can reveal.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Researchers tested 30 boys with learning disabilities and 30 matched boys without.
A doctor who did not know the boys' group checked reflexes, balance, and motor skills.
The doctor used simple tests like hopping on one foot and touching the nose with eyes closed.
What they found
Most boys with learning disabilities scored worse on balance and reflex tests.
About one in four boys with learning disabilities scored the same as typical peers.
The study shows motor problems are common but not universal in learning disabilities.
How this fits with other research
Provost et al. (2007) found that almost all toddlers with autism have motor delays.
This extends the 1980 finding to younger kids with a different diagnosis.
Chang et al. (2013) used digital tablets to spot handwriting problems in first graders.
Both studies use objective tools to catch motor issues early, just like the blinded doctor did.
Sharp et al. (2010) showed that high-functioning teens with autism can learn motor sequences normally.
This seems to contradict the motor deficits found in 1980, but the key difference is diagnosis severity.
Why it matters
When you assess a child with learning problems, add quick balance and reflex checks.
If the child struggles, build extra motor practice into their program.
But if they pass, don't assume all is well - keep watching other skills too.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Motor dysfunctions have been associated with learning disabilities in casual observation and systematic study. However, most prior work has concentrated solely on high-level skills and has been subject to observer bias. In this study, boys with learning disability were blindly compared with paired controls on measures of postural and equilibrium reflexes as well as skills. Learning-disabled children as a group showed significant deficits on all measures; a few, however, were totally without deficit. The implications of these findings for controversies about the role of motor dysfunction in learning disabilities are examined.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 1980 · doi:10.1007/BF02408467