Everyday memory in children with developmental coordination disorder.
DCD kids who seem forgetful may just have weak language—check verbal IQ first.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team compared 8- to young learners with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) to typically-developing peers.
They gave both groups an everyday memory checklist that asks how often kids forget lunch, lose shoes, or leave the tap running.
Each child also took a short verbal IQ test so the researchers could see if language skill, not memory, was the real issue.
What they found
At first the DCD group scored much lower on the memory checklist.
After the researchers removed the effect of verbal IQ, the gap vanished.
In plain words: the kids looked forgetful because they had weaker language, not weaker memory.
How this fits with other research
Omer et al. (2021) extends the story. They showed that everyday executive-function slips partly explain why DCD kids feel anxious. Together the papers say: check both language and EF before labeling a child as simply forgetful.
Kanevski et al. (2023) seems to disagree. Their ADHD-plus-DCD sample had lower visuospatial working memory yet normal math scores. The difference is population: they mixed ADHD into the pot. Pure DCD kids, like those in Chen et al. (2013), mainly need language support, not memory drills.
Dionne et al. (2024) also support the language-first view. Math struggles in DCD were tied to visuoperceptual skill, not verbal IQ. The pattern is clear: cognitive problems in DCD are domain-specific, so pick the right tool for the right deficit.
Why it matters
Before you write memory goals, run a quick verbal IQ screener. If language is low, target vocabulary, following directions, or rehearsal strategies instead of generic memory games. This small step keeps your treatment plan efficient and avoids frustrating the child with the wrong intervention.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) have deficits in working memory, but little is known about the everyday memory of these children in real-life situations. We investigated the everyday memory function in children with DCD, and explored the specific profile of everyday memory across different domains. Nineteen children with DCD and 19 typically developing (TD) children participated in the study. Their everyday memory performance was evaluated using the Rivermead Behavioral Memory Test for Children, which showed that 52.6% of the children with DCD had everyday memory deficits. The overall everyday memory scores of the DCD group were significantly lower than those of the controls, particularly in the verbal and visual memory domains. Pearson correlation analysis indicated significant associations between verbal intelligence and memory scores. Analysis of covariance with verbal intelligence as a covariate showed no significant differences between groups in memory scores. Mediator analysis supported the notion that everyday memory deficits in children with DCD were fully mediated through verbal intelligence. We provide evidence of everyday memory deficits in most of the children with DCD, and hypothesize that language abilities are their underlying cause. The clinical implications of these findings and recommendations for additional research are discussed.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2013 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2012.09.012