Assessment of Functional Indexes in Children with Retarded Speech Development and their Associations

Abstract

Background. Motor skills are key factors in children’s play and interaction with others and influence their subsequent social environment with their peers. Poor or atypical motor development may be an important contributing factor to the problems in language, social communication and understanding, and social interaction that characterise some neurodevelopmental disorders.

The aim. To assess the functional indexes in children with the retarded speech development and their associations.

Methods. 30 children (4 to 6 years old) with retarded speech development. To assess the functional indicators of children with language delay, using the follo wing testing instruments: gross motor skills were assessed with the TGMD-2 test, balance with the modifed Berg scale and the “up and go” test; the coordination test consists of samples which do not require any coordination of balance(according to
Schmitz 1988); and fne motor skills were assessed with a standardised test based on the methodology of the Oseretsky test.

Results. Children with retarded speech development have difculty in performing a jump with one foot, a jump with a big step or knocking around a ball. The assessment of the object control abilities was lower than that of locomotor abilities. Younger children with retarded speech suffered from worse static and dynamic balance and coordination. Signifcant fne motor impairment was found in more than a tenth of children with delayed language development.

Conclusions. The gross motor functions in children with retarded speech makes a signifcant impact on the locomotor and object control abilities. Dynamic balance is related to static balance and coordination which does not require any balance, and the fne motor functions affect the object control abilities.

Keywords: retarded speech development, balance, fne motor skills, gross motor skills, coordination, children