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What Do We Really Know About Motor Learning in Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder?

  • Disorders of Motor (PH Wilson, Section Editor)
  • Published:
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Abstract

There is a general consensus that developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is characterized by impaired motor learning skills. However, actual studies of motor learning in DCD are scarce and, above all, inconsistent. The aims of the present study were therefore to explore the presumed presence of a motor learning deficit among individuals with DCD and to provide a synopsis of the current literature on motor learning in DCD. We begin by defining DCD (etiology, neuropsychology, and brain bases), motor learning (measurement of learning, methods for promoting skill acquisition, scheduling, practice, retention, and feedback) and, of course, the link between the two, focusing on the issue of a possible motor learning deficit in DCD. We then discuss dominant hypotheses and suggest directions for future research in this domain, in the light of research conducted thus far. Particular attention is paid throughout to guide the choice of intervention approaches.

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Acknowledgments

This work was promoted by the University Hospital of Toulouse-Purpan for regulatory and ethic submission (AOL No. 13 7004 03) and was supported by a grant from The French National Research Agency (ANR-13-APPR-0010-01). The authors thank Elizabeth Portier for her careful checking of the English language and the reviewers for their constructive comments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Toulouse NeuroImaging Center, Université de Toulouse, Inserm, UPS, Toulouse, France

    Maëlle Biotteau, Yves Chaix & Jean-Michel Albaret

  2. Children’s Hospital, Toulouse-Purpan University Hospital, Place du Dr Baylac, 31059, Toulouse, Cedex 9, France

    Yves Chaix

Authors
  1. Maëlle Biotteau
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  2. Yves Chaix
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Correspondence to Maëlle Biotteau.

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Maëlle Biotteau, Yves Chaix, and Jean-Michel Albaret declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Disorders of Motor

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Biotteau, M., Chaix, Y. & Albaret, JM. What Do We Really Know About Motor Learning in Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder?. Curr Dev Disord Rep 3, 152–160 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40474-016-0084-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40474-016-0084-8

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