Should developmental coordination disorder be diagnosed before the age of 5 years?
Marina M Schoemaker
PMID 40541528WHAT IT FOUND
In high-risk preschoolers assessed by multidisciplinary teams, 85% of those identified as at risk for coordination difficulties at age 3 remained at risk or diagnosed two years later.
This stability contrasts with general population samples, where only 50% of at-risk children remained impaired.
Key findings
01Children classified as at risk for developmental coordination disorder at age 3 in a high-risk group remained diagnosed or at risk in 85% of cases after two years.
02This high stability contrasts with community samples where only 50% of children initially at risk remained in the clinical range after two years.
03The high-risk group was identified using a multidisciplinary approach combining standardized tests, history, and movement quality observation, unlike community studies that used single motor tests.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The high-risk classification relied on clinical judgement and non-standardized observation of movement quality, which may not be reproducible in all clinics. The article discusses a single study (De Roubaix et al.) rather than presenting new primary data, limiting the breadth of evidence. The comparison between high-risk and community samples involves different assessment methods, making it difficult to isolate whether stability is due to the population risk level or the multidisciplinary assessment approach.
The easy way to misread this
Do not apply the 85% stability figure to all preschoolers. This finding is specific to high-risk groups assessed by multidisciplinary teams. In general population samples using single motor tests, only 50% of children at risk remained impaired, meaning many low-risk children improve without intervention.
Summarised by AI from the full paper, without a clinician reviewing it. Check it against the source before it changes what you do. Read it on PubMed →