Longitudinal assessment of left ventricular structure and function in adolescents with developmental coordination disorder.
In teens with DCD, extra body fat—not clumsiness—drives a persistently heavier heart, so monitor weight and build movement into every session.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Chirico et al. (2012) tracked the same teens for three years. They compared heart size and blood flow in kids with probable developmental coordination disorder to kids without it. They used ultrasound scans every year to see if the heart worked harder as the kids grew.
What they found
The DCD group kept more body fat and a heavier heart across all three years. Their hearts pumped more blood each minute, driven by the extra fat, not by poor motor skills alone. The higher workload stayed even after the researchers controlled for activity level.
How this fits with other research
Chirico et al. (2011) saw the same kids one year earlier and found bigger stroke volume but no heavier heart mass yet. The 2012 paper shows the problem worsens with age, so the later study updates the warning.
Wahi et al. (2011) found higher belly fat and blood pressure in younger children with DCD. Together the papers trace a line: extra fat first, then higher blood pressure, then a thicker heart wall.
Anthony et al. (2020) adds a social layer: teens who carry both DCD and extra weight feel less accepted by peers. The cardiac risk and the stigma share the same root—adiposity—so BCBAs should treat weight and motor goals together.
Why it matters
If you serve middle-school clients with DCD, add body-fat tracking to your assessment battery. A simple waist-height ratio or school BMI report can flag the same kids whose hearts are working overtime. Pair motor-skill drills with fun, steady movement (dance, bike, active games) to chip away at fat mass while you teach coordination. Share the cardio reason with parents: “We’re protecting both skill and heart health.”
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) are more likely to develop cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors such as obesity and reduced cardio-respiratory fitness. It has also been shown that adolescents with probable DCD (p-DCD) have elevated cardiac output (CO) and stroke volume (SV) compared to typically developing (TD) controls, which in turn may heighten their risk of developing elevated left ventricle mass (LVM) or left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). The purpose of this study was to assess left ventricular structure and function longitudinally in adolescents with and without p-DCD. This three year study included 86 adolescents with significant motor impairment (33) and TD controls (53). Adolescents were 12 years old at the beginning of the study. The Movement ABC test (M-ABC-2) was used to classify children as p-DCD. Cardiac dimensions were measured using ultrasound echocardiography. Body mass, fat mass (FM) and body mass index (BMI) were significantly elevated in the p-DCD group in all three years. Peak aerobic fitness normalized to fat-free mass (peak VO(2FFM)) was significantly elevated in the TD controls in each year. Heart rate was also increased in the p-DCD group in years one and three. A repeated measures ANCOVA with time-varying covariates was performed for CO and LVM on p-DCD while controlling for peak VO(2) and FFM. CO and LVM were significantly elevated in the p-DCD which remained constant over time. FM completely mediated the association between p-DCD and CO in adolescents. For LVM, both FM and CO accounted for elevated LVM in adolescents with p-DCD. In conclusion, elevated FM in adolescents with p-DCD contributes to a higher CO and LVM over time compared to TD controls. If this persists throughout adolescents and into adulthood, these adolescents may be at risk of developing LVH.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2012 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2011.09.021