Risk factors in early life for developmental coordination disorder: a scoping review.
Jessika F van Hoorn, Marina M Schoemaker, Ilse Stuive and 4 others
PMID 33345317WHAT IT FOUND
Preterm birth and male sex are the strongest early risk factors for developmental coordination disorder.
Children born before 32 weeks face a substantially higher risk. Accumulated neonatal complications and brain lesions also increase risk, but most other factors show inconsistent or weak associations.
Key findings
01Being born before 32 weeks' gestation is associated with a significantly increased risk of developmental coordination disorder, with odds ratios ranging from 3.69 to 5.52 depending on the diagnostic cut-off used.
02Male sex is a consistent risk factor for developmental coordination disorder in the general population, but this association is not seen in children born preterm.
03Accumulation of perinatal or neonatal risk factors, such as mild to moderate neonatal encephalopathy or abnormal brain imaging, is associated with an increased risk of motor impairment.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The review included only cohort studies, with most rated as level 3 evidence, meaning the findings are observational and cannot prove causation. Definitions of DCD and motor impairment varied across studies (e.g., different cut-offs on the MABC, different diagnostic criteria), making direct comparison difficult. The meta-analysis on preterm birth showed high statistical heterogeneity (I2=79.0), suggesting the studies were quite different from each other. Data on many potential risk factors (like socioeconomic status or specific prenatal exposures) were inconsistent or limited, preventing firm conclusions about them. The review excluded studies on children with cerebral palsy, so findings apply specifically to DCD in the absence of major neurological diagnoses.
Declared interests
No specific funding sources or author conflicts of interest are declared in the provided text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the odds ratios as proof that preterm birth causes DCD. These are observational associations from cohort studies with moderate evidence quality. Additionally, do not assume male sex is a risk factor for children born preterm, as the review found this association absent in that specific subgroup.