Examining academic confidence and study support needs for university students with dyslexia and/or developmental coordination disorder.

Higher education providers are seeing a shift from externally funded support for students with specific learning difficulties (SpLD), to a need to develop more inclusive practices generally. However, the precise needs of students with different SpLD diagnoses is unknown. A total of 367 students in England and Wales (163 students with dyslexia, 50 students with developmental coordination disorder [DCD/"dyspraxia"], 62 students with dyslexia and DCD, and 92 non-SpLD students) completed an online questionnaire to determine: (a) how confident they are with their study-related capabilities, (b) the types of support they access, and (c) their views on current inclusive practices. Students with dyslexia and students with dyslexia/DCD reported lower confidence in their grades and studying than non-SpLD students, and accessed more technology-related support than students with DCD only. Examination accommodations supporting writing were common for all SpLD students. Inclusive practices were perceived positively, although different priorities were seen across groups. The findings demonstrate the complexities inherent in providing effective support for all students at university, with the varied profiles across and within SpLD groups suggesting that an individualized approach is necessary. Practical implications are discussed.

Improving Communication Between Nursing Staff and On-Call Residents via a Standardized Paging Protocol.

OBJECTIVES: Clear and efficient communication between nursing staff and medical providers is an essential component of healthcare delivery. At McLean Hospital, there is an inconsistency in utilization of alphanumeric paging, with many individuals communicating primarily via numeric-only pages that can cause difficulty in triaging importance of pages and lead to disruptions in care. This quality improvement project sought to improve communication between nursing staff and residents by decreasing the number of difficult to triage pages sent to the psychiatrist-on-call at a stand-alone academic psychiatric hospital. METHODS: Pages were analyzed during two discrete month-long periods before and after the implementation of a standardized paging protocol, which included an updated online template asking the individual sending the page to include specific information (urgency of page, identifying information of patient, contact information, and name of sender) and dissemination of information on its use. RESULTS: The implementation of this protocol resulted in a statistically significant decrease in the percentage of pages that were difficult to triage (22.1 to 15.0%; p < 0.05). Examining specific units in the hospital revealed significant variation of change, with as much as 40% reduction to as large as an 11% increase in difficult to triage pages. CONCLUSIONS: The decrease in the percentage of difficult to triage pages suggests that a standard paging protocol can improve delivery of patient care by minimizing interruptions with low-priority pages and may improve quality of communication between nursing staff and physicians on-call, ultimately improving quality of care provided and bettering the resident learning environment.

Oculomotor atypicalities in Developmental Coordination Disorder.

Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) fail to acquire adequate motor skill, yet surprisingly little is known about the oculomotor system in DCD. Successful completion of motor tasks is supported by accurate visual feedback. The purpose of this study was to determine whether any oculomotor differences can distinguish between children with and without a motor impairment. Using eye tracking technology, visual fixation, smooth pursuit, and pro- and anti-saccade performance were assessed in 77 children that formed three groups: children with DCD (aged 7-10), chronologically age (CA) matched peers, and a motor-match (MM) group (aged 4-7). Pursuit gain and response preparation in the pro- and anti-saccade tasks were comparable across groups. Compared to age controls, children with DCD had deficits in maintaining engagement in the fixation and pursuit tasks, and made more anti-saccade errors. The two typically developing groups performed similarly, except on the fast speed smooth pursuit and antisaccade tasks, where the CA group outperformed the younger MM group. The findings suggest that children with DCD have problems with saccadic inhibition and maintaining attention on a visual target. Developmental patterns were evident in the typically developing groups, suggesting that the pursuit system and cognitive control develop with age. This study adds to the literature by being the first to systematically identify specific oculomotor differences between children with and without a motor impairment. Further examination of oculomotor control may help to identify underlying processes contributing to DCD. A video abstract of this article can be viewed at: https://youtu.be/NinXa2KlB4M. [Correction added on 27 January 2017, after first online publication: The video abstract link was added.].

Executive functions in children with developmental coordination disorder: a 2-year follow-up study.

AIM: Executive function impairments have been identified in children with poor motor skills, with and without a diagnosis of developmental coordination disorder (DCD). However, most studies are cross-sectional. This study investigates the development of executive function in children with poor motor skills over 2 years. METHOD: Children aged 7 to 11 years (n=51) were assessed twice, 2 years apart, on verbal and nonverbal measures of executive functions: executive-loaded working memory (ELWM); fluency; response inhibition; planning; and cognitive flexibility. Typically developing children (n=17) were compared with those with a clinical diagnosis of DCD (n=17) and those with identified motor difficulties (n=17) but no formal diagnosis of DCD. RESULTS: Developmental gains in executive function were similar between groups, although a gap between children with poor motor skills and typically developing children on nonverbal executive functions persisted. Specifically, children with DCD performed significantly more poorly than typically developing children on all nonverbal executive function tasks and verbal fluency tasks at both time points; and children with motor difficulties but no diagnosis of DCD showed persistent executive function problems in nonverbal tasks of ELWM and fluency. INTERPRETATION: Children with DCD and motor difficulties demonstrated executive function difficulties over 2 years, which may affect activities of daily living and academic achievement, in addition to their motor deficit. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: Executive function difficulties in children with poor motor skills persist throughout middle childhood. Children with motor difficulties, without a developmental coordination disorder (DCD) diagnosis, demonstrate less pervasive executive function difficulties than those with DCD. Executive function problems in the groups with motor difficulties and DCD affect mostly nonverbal domains. All groups showed similar developmental gains in executive function.

The role of older siblings in infant motor development.

Previous research has suggested that infant motor skills may be affected by older siblings but has not considered whether this is due to specific characteristics of the older sibling or of the quality of the sibling relationship. The current study used a longitudinal diary method to record infant motor milestones from 23 infants with older siblings along with parent reports and standardized assessments of motor skills. Parent reports of the older siblings' motor skills and the sibling relationship were also collected until the infants were 18months old. The motor skills, age, and sex of the older siblings were not significantly related to any measure of infant motor development. A significant correlation was revealed between perceived agonism between siblings and infant fine motor skills at 18months, suggesting the importance of considering reciprocal effects of motor development on sibling relationships. Overall, the suggestion that older siblings may provide a good model of motor skills for infants is not supported by the current data. In the future, it will be important to assess the dynamic interactions between different factors in predicting infant motor development, allowing early identification of motor difficulties, which could affect other areas of cognitive development and health.

Adaptation and Extension of the European Recommendations (EACD) on Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) for the UK context.

BACKGROUND: Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) affects the learning and performance of everyday motor skills. It commonly co-occurs with other developmental disorders and a range of associated psycho-social impairments. Recent evidence-based guidelines on diagnosis, assessment, and intervention provide valuable information for practitioners. However these are directed primarily at German-speaking countries and focus on work with children. AIM: The aim of this project was to consider the application of these guidelines in the UK and to extend them for use with adults with DCD. METHODS: Individuals with DCD, parents, and professionals from a wide range of disciplines were invited to two workshops to discuss and debate the guidelines, to adapt them for the UK and produce dissemination materials. RESULTS: A working definition of DCD was agreed, minor revisions were made to the guidelines to reflect the UK context, an extension for adults was compiled and a series of leaflets was produced to disseminate this information to health and education professionals, parents, and employers. CONCLUSIONS: This work will raise awareness of the condition across different professional groups. It provides information to help those working with children and adults with DCD in the UK to assist in the process of diagnosis, assessment, and intervention.

Color obsessions and phobias in autism spectrum disorders: the case of J.G.

The current study is the first investigation of color 'obsessions' and 'phobias' in ASD. We investigate the color perception and cognition of J.G., a boy with ASD who has a strong obsession with blue, and a strong phobia of other colors. J.G.'s performance on a series of color tasks (color-entity association; chromatic discrimination; color classification) is compared to 13 children with and without autism who do not have color obsessions or phobias. The findings lead to the formalization of two hypotheses: (i) color obsessions and phobias in individuals with ASD are related to an unusually strong ability to associate colors with entities; (ii) color obsessions are related to hyposensitivity, and color phobias to hypersensitivity, in the affected regions of color space.

Review: The impact of motor development on typical and atypical social cognition and language: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Motor development allows infants to gain knowledge of the world but its vital role in social development is often ignored. METHOD: A systematic search for papers investigating the relationship between motor and social skills was conducted, including research in typical development and in Developmental Coordination Disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorders and Specific Language Impairment. RESULTS: The search identified 43 studies, many of which highlighted a significant relationship between motor skills and the development of social cognition, language and social interactions. CONCLUSIONS: This complex relationship requires more attention from researchers and practitioners, allowing the development of more tailored intervention techniques for those at risk of motor, social and language difficulties.

Oculomotor differences in adults with and without probable developmental coordination disorder.

Adults with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), sometimes referred to as dyspraxia, experience difficulties in motor development and coordination, which impacts on all aspects of their daily lives. Surprisingly little is known about the mechanisms underlying the difficulties they experience in the motor domain. In childhood DCD, aspects of oculomotor control have been shown to be altered. The purpose of this study was to determine whether oculomotor differences are present in adults with and without probable DCD. Visual fixation stability, smooth pursuit, and pro-and anti-saccade performance were assessed in 21 adults (mean age 29 years) with probable DCD/dyspraxia (pDCD) and 21 typically-developing (TD) adults (mean age 21 years). Eye tracking technology revealed that oculomotor response preparation in the pro- and anti-saccade tasks was comparable across groups, as was pursuit gain in the slower of the two smooth pursuit tasks. However, adults with pDCD made significantly more saccades away from the fixation target than those without DCD and significantly more anti-saccade errors. Further, compared to TD adults, adults with pDCD demonstrated difficulties in maintaining engagement and had lower pursuit gain in the faster pursuit task. This suggests that adults with pDCD have problems with saccadic inhibition and maintaining attention on a visual target. Since this pattern of results has also been reported in children with DCD, oculomotor difficulties may be persistent for those with DCD across the lifespan. An awareness of the impact of atypical oculomotor control in activities of daily living across the lifespan would support clearer understanding of the causes and impacts of these difficulties for those with DCD.

Harnessing real-life experiences: the development of guidelines to communicate research findings on Developmental Coordination Disorder/dyspraxia.

Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), also known as dyspraxia, affects 5-15% of school-aged children (Hamilton and Sutton, Am Fam Physician 66:1435, 2002) and significantly impacts a child's ability to learn motor skills and perform everyday activities efficiently and effectively (Zwicker et al., Eur J Paediatr Neurol 16:573-81, 2012). These motor deficits can have a negative impact on academic performance, vocational choices and leisure pursuits (Zwicker et al., Eur J Paediatr Neurol 16:573-81, 2012) and profoundly impact quality of life (Izadi-Najafabadi et al., Res Dev Disabil 84:75-84, 2019). DCD persists into adulthood (Kirby et al., J Adult Dev 18:107-13, 2011), impacting motor as well as emotional and behavioural status (Tal Saban and Kirby, Curr Dev Disord Rep 5:9-17, 2018). Despite the continued increase in research in the field of DCD, awareness of DCD remains poor (O'Kelly NL., From invisibility to invincibility: Guidelines for supporting families through the diagnosis and journey with developmental coordination disorder, 2012) even though it has higher prevalence rates when compared to, for example, autism spectrum disorder (Yan et al., J Autism Dev Disord :1-7, 2024), which in part may be due to a lack of accessible research findings. A fundamental feature of the research process is disseminating research findings. This should involve community members in design and delivery to ensure the accessibility of research findings.In 2022 the DCD-UK committee established a DCD Research Advisory Group (DCD-RAG) which met over the course of 12 months to: (1) identify issues of inaccessible research findings; (2) determine the need for a repository for research summaries; (3) co-create guidelines for authors and (4) agree a process for reviewing research summaries to be housed on the Movement Matters website. The new co-produced research repository, author guidelines and process were launched at the DCD-UK conference in Manchester 2023 and subsequently shared on social media and through the DCD research email list. The creation of the DCD-RAG and the process that we undertook together to create a non-academic repository for DCD research summaries are described. It is hoped that this repository will enable the wider public, community members and professionals to be able to readily benefit from accessible research, increasing a deeper and broader understanding of the evidence in the field.

Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is also known as dyspraxia. DCD can affect a person's coordination, how they move and how they perform daily activities. It can impact quality of life and social and emotional wellbeing.Awareness of DCD is poor, so the DCD-UK committee started a Research Advisory Group, called DCD-RAG which includes adults with DCD and parents of children with DCD, to help them make information from DCD researchers more accessible.The group helped to identify the problems with gaining access to DCD research and they helped to write guidelines for researchers. They helped develop a website called Movement Matters for DCD researchers to file accessible summaries of their work. The group looked at how they could review summaries to ensure good practice.It is hoped the new website will help make DCD research from both the UK and internationally easier for the public and professionals to find, read and understand.Public involvement in research can be tokenistic. It is important that researchers allocate time to share findings with the people whose lives are the focus of the research.This article outlines how co-production with the public can improve the accessibility of research findings. Doing this in a way which is meaningful and accessible should be the minimum that researchers aim for.

Mood impairments in adults previously diagnosed with developmental coordination disorder.

BACKGROUND: Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) affects up to 6% of the population and is diagnosed on the basis of poor motor coordination. While we know rather little about its lifetime consequences, clear and significant difficulties remain through the lifespan for the majority. Reduced physical activity and, outside of the motor domain, significant mental health issues exist for many with DCD. AIMS: This study provides the first investigation of the presence of mood disorders in adults with DCD. METHOD: Symptoms of anxiety and depression were assessed using the Beck Depression and Spielberger Anxiety Inventories in 36 adults previously diagnosed with DCD vs. 49 age- and gender-matched typical controls. Amount and type of physical activity undertaken each week were also reported. RESULTS: After controlling for their reduced level of weekly physical activity, the group with DCD reported significantly more symptoms of depression, state and trait anxiety than their peers. CONCLUSIONS: This finding has important implications for consideration of intervention in DCD, as well as for investigation of the risk and protective factors at play in long-term outcome. Finally, the findings highlight the need for awareness of motor difficulties in those presenting with high levels of anxiety and depression, and vice versa.

Planning and conducting focus group research with nurses.

Focus groups are increasingly popular in nursing research. However, proper care and attention are critical to their planning and conduct, particularly those involving nursing staff. This article uses data gleaned from prior research to address the complexities present in clinical settings when conducting focus groups with nurses. Applying their combined experiences of conducting studies with nursing staff, the authors present a data-derived approach to thorough preparation and successful implementation of focus group research, offering a unique contribution to the literature regarding this research strategy.

Supporting Newly Identified or Diagnosed Autistic Adults: An Initial Evaluation of an Autistic-Led Programme.

Sixteen adults (diagnosed or self-identified as autistic) participated in one of two iterations of a ten-week autistic-led programme, aimed at helping autistic adults learn more about autism within a peer group context. Motivations for taking part in the programme included a desire for: (1) exploration of autism; (2) empowerment; and (3) the development of practical strategies and coping mechanisms. Interviews were conducted upon completion of the programme and again 6 months later. Using thematic analysis, three themes were identified: (1) appreciation of the autistic-led nature of the programme; (2) unity in diversity; and (3) developing a positive, practical outlook on autism. These promising initial results highlight the value of autistic-led peer support for those recently diagnosed/identified as autistic.

Gender and age differences in the presentation of at-risk or probable Developmental Coordination Disorder in adults.

BACKGROUND: Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), also called Dyspraxia, is a common Neurodevelopmental Disorder (NDD) that affects motor coordination with a marked impact on both academic and day-to-day living activities. It is increasingly clear that NDDs such as Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorder may present differently in males and females, resulting in underdiagnoses of women and girls. AIMS: To consider age and gender differences in the presentation of at-risk and probable DCD. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: A sample of 1,476 adults aged 16-60 years were surveyed online using the Adult DCD Checklist. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: Women with at-risk (n = 1 8 6, 1 6. 6 %) or probable DCD (n = 6 4 3, 5 6. 6 %) reported significantly greater gross motor and non-motor difficulties and significantly greater impact on activities and participation, whereas men with at-risk (n = 58,16.3 %) or probable (n = 177,49.9 %), DCD reported significantly greater fine motor difficulties. Emerging adults (aged 16-25 years) with at-risk (n = 65,14.3 %) or probable (293,64.3 %) DCD reported significantly greater non-motor difficulty than adults (aged 26-60+ years) with at-risk (n = 179,17.5 %) or probable (n = 518, 50.8 %) DCD. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Both age and gender differences were found in the presentation of at-risk and probable DCD in adults. This may have implications for the development of future DCD assessment tools and for the training of front-line staff who may encounter individuals with DCD throughout their lives, including teachers, doctors and employers' Human Resources and Occupational Health staff.

The relationship between motor milestone achievement and childhood motor deficits in children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and children with Developmental Coordination Disorder.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of motor impairment is high in ADHD, but we do not know if this stems from infancy. AIMS: 1) to compare the acquisition of motor milestones across three groups: Typically Developing (TD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD); 2) to determine the relationship between current motor ability and ADHD characteristics in children with ADHD. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: The parents of children aged 8-16 years (ADHD, N = 100; DCD, N = 66; TD, N = 40) completed three online questionnaires: Motor milestone questionnaire; Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (DCDQ'07) (concurrent motor ability); Conners 3 Parent Rating Scale Long Form (ADHD characteristics). OUTCOME AND RESULTS: When considered as a group, the ADHD group achieved motor milestones within a typical timeframe, despite concurrent motor impairments. Motor ability was not associated with ADHD characteristics. Latent Profile Analysis demonstrated that 56 % of the ADHD group and 48 % of the DCD group shared the same profile of motor milestone achievement, concurrent motor ability and ADHD characteristics. OUTCOMES AND CONCLUSIONS: Unlike children with DCD, the motor impairment often observed in ADHD is not evident from infancy. It is also not part of the ADHD phenotype. Individual differences analysis demonstrated the broad heterogeneity of the ADHD phenotype.

Roach (Rutilus rutilus) reproductive cycle: a study of biochemical and histological parameters in a low contaminated site.

Fish reproduction is subjected to worrying trends in many aquatic environments. In this study, we report the absence of histological and biochemical alterations in fish sampled in a low contaminated site (characterised by the absence of detectable oestrogenic activity and mutagenicity in sediment extracts). A total of 474 roach (Rutilus rutilus) were monthly sampled during 18 months, and no intersex fish were recorded after careful histological examination, thus indicating that the incidence of this phenomenon may be very low under natural conditions. Furthermore, mean male plasma vitellogenin concentration was 24 ng ml(-1) and was only slightly elevated during the spawning period (up to 120 ng ml(-1)) indicating that these low values may be characteristic of a low contaminated site. Of the male roach, 45.3% were sampled, a sex-ratio that did not significantly deviated from the expected 1:1 ratio between male and female. Results also showed that natural conditions can greatly affect the reproductive cycle of roach. Gametogenesis showed a biphasic pattern with first gonad maturation between September and December and a final maturation occurring at the end of winter/early spring. Under decreasing temperatures, particularly below 6 degrees C, gametogenesis was stopped or even regressed with secondary oocytes becoming rare under histological observation. Conversely, elevated temperatures during the winter lead to an earlier gonad maturation.

The development of hand preference in children: the effect of task demands and links with manual dexterity.

Lateralisation of hand preference and manual dexterity are known to develop over childhood, while in adulthood strength of hand preference has been shown to interact with extrinsic task demands. Some evidence exists to suggest that strength of hand preference and motor skill may be related. In the current study a handedness inventory, midline crossing (QHP) and peg-moving tasks were used to investigate: (1) the development of hand preference between 4 and 11 years; (2) whether extrinsic task demands affect strength of hand preference, and (3) whether strength of hand preference was associated with manual dexterity. Younger children (4-5 years) showed weak hand preference in comparison to older children (8-11 years), and extrinsic task demands influenced willingness to cross the body's midline with the preferred hand. Age and peg-moving speed were associated with midline crossing in certain task conditions. Overall, results suggest a coupling between manual dexterity and brain maturation in typical development.

Estrogenic activity of cadmium, copper and zinc in the yeast estrogen screen.

Heavy metals are increasingly studied due to their apparent ability to disrupt signaling pathways of living organisms including humans. Among various mechanisms of action, metals are suspected of exerting estrogenic activity in human and wildlife. In this study, a wide range of concentration of cadmium, copper, lead, mercury and zinc (from 95.4 pM to 1 mM) alone or in combination with the natural estrogen, 17-beta estradiol, has been tested using the yeast estrogen screen, an estrogen receptor dependent transcriptional expression assay. No direct trans-activation of the estrogen-responsive element could be measured with any of the concentration of the metals tested. Nevertheless, cadmium, copper and zinc were able to potentiate the estradiol-induced response in a dose-dependent manner. Significant stimulation was obtained from 10 nM cadmium, 100 nM copper and 2 nM zinc. Maximum response led to decrease of the estradiol EC50 by a factor 10. This study indicates that cadmium, copper and zinc can act as potential endocrine disrupters by modulating the estrogenic activity of endogenous hormones.

Revisiting the strange stories: revealing mentalizing impairments in autism.

A test of advanced theory of mind (ToM), first introduced by F. Happé (1994), was adapted for children (mental, human, animal, and nature stories plus unlinked sentences). These materials were closely matched for difficulty and were presented to forty-five 7- to 12-year-olds with autism and 27 control children. Children with autism who showed ToM impairment on independent tests performed significantly more poorly than controls solely on the mental, human, and animal stories with greatest impairment on the former and least on the latter. Thus, a mentalizing deficit may affect understanding of biologic agents even when this does not explicitly require understanding others' mental states.

Cross-Domain Associations Between Motor Ability, Independent Exploration, and Large-Scale Spatial Navigation; Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Williams Syndrome, and Typical Development.

In typical infants, the achievement of independent locomotion has a positive impact on the development of both small-scale and large-scale spatial cognition. Here we investigated whether this association between the motor and spatial domain: (1) persists into childhood and (2) is detrimental to the development of spatial cognition in individuals with motor deficits, namely, individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and individuals with Williams syndrome (WS). Despite evidence of a co-occurring motor impairment in many individuals with ADHD, little is known about the developmental consequences of this impairment. Individuals with WS demonstrate impaired motor and spatial competence, yet the relationship between these two impairments is unknown. Typically developing (TD) children (N = 71), individuals with ADHD (N = 51), and individuals with WS (N = 20) completed a battery of motor tasks, a measure of independent exploration, and a virtual reality spatial navigation task. Retrospective motor milestone data were collected for the ADHD and WS groups. Results demonstrated a relationship between fine motor ability and spatial navigation in the TD group, which could reflect the developmental impact of the ability to manually manipulate objects, on spatial knowledge. In contrast, no relationships between the motor and spatial domains were observed for the ADHD or WS groups. Indeed, while there was evidence of motor impairment in both groups, only the WS group demonstrated an impairment in large-scale spatial navigation. The motor-spatial relationship in the TD, but not the ADHD and WS groups, suggests that aspects of spatial cognition can develop via a developmental pathway which bypasses input from the motor domain.