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Human development is evolving constantly. The motor skills are developed throughout life by continuous muscle stimulation, in which fine motor skills relate to precise movements. Digital games are resources that help in educational development and learning. In this context, this work presents a game to help people with down syndrome, who tend to have problems associated with the development of fine motricity, called GameLab. GameLab is a serious game developed for people with down syndrome, which uses the smartphone's accelerometer to move and control the movement of a ball in a maze, the movements are performed by the player, inducting him to exercise fine motor coordination, as well as to develop automatic hand control and attention while performing movements. As a result, an evaluation was performed with four people, two of whom have down syndrome, which are able to perform the game phases with the help of the team that conducted the experiment.

Aims: A computational model aimed to estimate the proportion of visual/motor deficits (first-order defects) and visual-motor abnormal integration (second-order defect) in dyslexic children is described. Study Design: Single-masked case-control study. Place and Duration of Study: Sample: Service of Neuro-Ophthalmology, University of Turin, between December 2017 and November 2018. Methodology: Twenty subjects (age 8-10) were administered a set of tests that recruit the visual and motor domain in different proportions. The score obtained in each trial is weighed by the correspondent share of visuoperceptive and motor recruitment. This way two indexes are obtained: Eta (h) and Mu (m), that quantify the expected and estimated damage of the two functions across the range of average performance. The difference between the expected and estimated level of damage in the two domains represents the quota of selective visuoperceptive / motor impairment of the subject. In turn, no or negligible difference in the presence of abnormal z-score would reveal impaired visual-motor integration with no evident visual or motor damage. Results: The model detected a prevalent first-order defect in the visuo perceptive or motor domain in 58% of the cases (visuo perceptive alteration: 27%, motor alteration: 73%), and a prevalent second-order defect in the remaining 42% of the subjects. Internal consistency was adequate for research and screening purpose (Cronbach’s coefficient alpha: from 0.77 to 0.84). Conclusion: The Eta/Mu model seems a promising tool to detect cases of visual and motor alteration as well as the level of visual-motor integration in dyslexic children. Further effort is needed to improve test-retest reliability by examining larger samples, so as to make it suitable to customize the rehabilitation program of children suffering from learning disabilities.

Improving the acquisition and retention of a new motor skill is of great importance. The present study (i) investigated the effects of difficulty manipulation strategies (gradual difficulty), combined with different modalities of feedback (FB) frequency on performance accuracy and consistency when learning a novel fine motor coordination task, and (ii) examined relationships between novel fine motor task performance and executive function (EF), working memory (WM), and perceived difficulty (PD). Thirty-six, right-handed, novice physical education students volunteered to participate in this study. Participants were divided into three progressive difficulty groups (PDG), 100% visual FB (FB1), 50% FB (FB2), and 33% FB (FB3). Progressive difficulty was increased by the manipulation of the distance to the target; 2 m, 2.37 m, and 3.56 m. Three FB modalities were investigated (i.e.: 100% visual FB (100% FB), 50% reduced feedback condition (50% RFB), and 33% reduced feedback conditions (33% RFB)). Performance assessments were conducted following familiarization, acquisition, and retention learning phases. Two stress-conditions of dart throws were investigated (i.e.: free condition (FC) and time pressure condition (TPC)). After the learning intervention, data showed that, under the free condition, the 100% FB group had a significant improvement in accuracy during all learning phases. Under time pressure condition, for the 50% RFB and the 33% RFB group, the measured variable (accuracy and consistency) showed a significant linear improvement in performance. The association between the percentage of RFB frequencies and the task difficulty (50% group) may be a more appropriate and manageable cognitive load compared to the 33% RFB and the 100% FB group. The present findings could have practical implications for practitioners because, while strategies are clearly necessary for improving learning, the efficacy of the process appears to be essentially based on the characteristics of the learners.

Repeated subconcussive blows to the head during sports or other contact activities may have a cumulative and long lasting effect on cognitive functioning. Unobtrusive measurement and tracking of cognitive functioning is needed to enable preventative interventions for people at elevated risk of concussive injury. The focus of the present study is to investigate the potential for using passive measurements of fine motor movements (smooth pursuit eye tracking and read speech) and resting state brain activity (measured using fMRI) to complement existing diagnostic tools, such as the Immediate Post-concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT), that are used for this purpose. Thirty-one high school American football and soccer athletes were tracked through the course of a sports season. Hypotheses were that (1) measures of complexity of fine motor coordination and of resting state brain activity are predictive of cognitive functioning measured by the ImPACT test, and (2) within-subject changes in these measures over the course of a sports season are predictive of changes in ImPACT scores. The first principal component of the six ImPACT composite scores was used as a latent factor that represents cognitive functioning. This latent factor was positively correlated with four of the ImPACT composites: verbal memory, visual memory, visual motor speed and reaction speed. Strong correlations, ranging betweenr= 0.26 andr= 0.49, were found between this latent factor and complexity features derived from each sensor modality. Based on a regression model, the complexity features were combined across sensor modalities and used to predict the latent factor on out-of-sample subjects. The predictions correlated with the true latent factor withr= 0.71. Within-subject changes over time were predicted withr= 0.34. These results indicate the potential to predict cognitive performance from passive monitoring of fine motor movements and brain activity, offering initial support for future application in detection of performance deficits associated with subconcussive events.

Visual-motor coordination may be referred to by a variety of terms, including perceptual-motor integration and fine motor coordination. All the terms refer to an individual’s capacity to carry out tasks that require smooth eye-hand coordination. More fundamentally, testing in this domain examines the accuracy of an individual’s perception of stimuli and their related ability to appropriately manipulate objects in the environment.

We conducted a case-control study using the Eyesi simulator to assess the surgical performance of 24 chronic cocaine users (CCUs) and 24 sex-/age-matched controls to numerically quantify ophthalmic microsurgical simulator performance and fine motor deficiencies. The inclusion criteria were no exposure to illicit drugs other than cocaine, marijuana, or alcohol within the previous month and no health conditions that could impact manual task performance. The outcomes included surgical scores (0–100, worst-best) and task completion time (minutes). Fisher's exact test, analysis of variance, Mann-Whitney U test, and Kruskal-Wallis test followed by Dunn-Bonferroni post-hoc were conducted for statistical analysis. The Eyesi scores were lower among CCUs compared to controls for bimanual tasks (4.50 ± 14.30 vs. 18.46 ± 26.64, p = 0.012), for exercises demanding upper and lower limb coordination (both hands and two foot pedals, respectively) (74.13 ± 35.01 vs. 85.21 ± 24.1, p = 0.045), and in the overall score for all three tasks (27.38 ± 15.06 vs. 39.5 ± 18.66, p = 0.021). CCUs took longer to complete tasks when performing exercises demanding upper and lower limb coordination compared to controls (1.26 ± 0.38 vs. 1.02 ± 0.44 min, p = 0.006). Individuals who used cocaine during the previous month had an independent lower bimanual score compared to controls (1.42 ± 4.91 vs. 18.46 ± 26.64, p = 0.018). No differences in performance among the CCUs were attributable to sporadic cannabis or alcohol use. Chronic use of cocaine negatively impacted fine dexterity as measured by bimanual tasks or maneuvers that required simultaneous coordination of the upper and lower limbs. This was most notable among individuals who used cocaine during the 1-month period before the simulation.

This study investigated whether difficulty manipulation strategies affect learning in the fine motor coordination task, perceived competence (PC) and perceived difficulty (PD). Thirty-nine novices’ right-handed boys (age 11.3 ± 0.4 years; stature 147 ± 8.94 cm; body mass 40.57 ± 0.07 kg; mean ± SD), volunteers, were assigned to either control group (CTG: no difficulty manipulation)and two experimental groups: group 1 (EG1: one-dimension difficulty manipulation) and group 2 (EG2: two-dimensions difficulty manipulation). All protocol sessions were conducted at the same time-of-day, in which, there were three periods: familiarization, acquisition and retention phases. Moreover, two stress-conditions of darts throw were investigated (i.e.: free condition (FC) and time pressure condition (TPC)). Results showed significant effect between-groups (p = 0.01, η2= 0.215) based on difficulty strategies manipulation. Analysis showed an improvement in accuracy values in retention tests for only EG1and a significant lower coefficient of variation (p = 0.41, η2 = 0.154) compared to the CTG and EG2. Errors decrease over time for CTG in FC (p = 0.041, η2= 0.203) but not in TPC, while no significant differences in errors for EG1 and EG2 (p = 0.19, η2 = 0.911) in the two stress-conditions. Moreover, PD was significantly different between all test-phases (p = 0.041, η2= 0.234) for EG1 only. The one-dimension learning strategy improves retention in accuracy performances, whereas, both strategies, do not affect errors in both FC and TPC. Therefore, teachers in physical education are not encouraged to combine difficulties in learning process of a novel fine motor coordination task.

Mental retardation children's abilities need to be stimulated related to motor skills in order to be able to skillfully use hand coordination. Cross stitch is a medium that is currently developed not only as an art but as a fine motor stimulus for children. Community Service Activities are carried out at Putera Asih SLB Students in Kediri City. The activity begins with the provision of health education to teachers then the service team teaches Cross Static students. From 21 students there were 17 people who needed full assistance, and 4 of them were partially assisted. Some students bring tools home to practice with their parents and family. In the final activity of this service, the preparation of tools is assisted by devotees and teachers. At this stage, students who are fully assisted are 15 people and 6 people are partially assisted. Cross stitch activity is one of the activities that can stimulate fine motor development. These activities will be able to flex the fingers, improve the ability of fine motor coordination and increase brain stimulus for students with special needs.

Aim: The current study examined the relationship between cognitive performances (executive function, selective attention and reaction time), fine motor coordination skills and perceived difficulty after active transport to school. Method: Fifteen right-handed children’s underwent session, 15-min walking session at 30% (WS1) and 15-min walking session (WS2) at 50% of maximal aerobic speed. Subjects performed tests to evaluate executive function, reaction time and selective attention. After each trial, a questionnaire of perceived difficulty (PD) was completed. Results: Average time in TMT part A (F(2,22) = 4.44; p = 0.024; η2= 0.288) and TMT part B (F(2,22) = 4.54; p = 0.022; η2= 0.292), and committed errors (F(2,22) = 7.78; p = 0.003; η2= 0.414) was improved after walking sessions in comparison by CS. The mean scores were significantly higher after walking sessions for both long and short-distance throws (p < 0.05). Moreover, a significant negative correlation was found between committed errors (TMT part B) and both dart throwing consistency and accuracy (r = - 0.6; r = - 0.64; p < 0.05) (respectively). Post-hoc analysis showed that PD was better after walking sessions with low intensity for both short and long throwing distance. However, it seems that walking session with sustained intensity allows speed and accuracy improvement of cognitive processing. Conclusion: Thus, active walking to school with low intensity was sufficient to produce positives changes in psychomotor performance and decrease in perceived difficulty scores. By including individual differences in gross motor coordination as well as physical activity level, the exact nature of the link between psychomotor skills and cognitive performance could be more addressed.

Introduction: Children’s motor skills evolve according to age and the continuing influence of intrinsic and extrinsic factors that cause variations from one child to another; this makes the course of development unique in each child. Objective: To develop an intervention for a child with delays in fine motor coordination, gross motor coordination and balance and analyze its impact on the child’s development. Methods: Pre- and post-test quasi-experimental design. The instrument used was the Motor Development Scale applied to a 4 year old child. An intervention plan was developed based on the results obtained throught the tests. The plan consists of activities designed to stimulate the aforementioned acquisitions. The implementation of the intervention plan lasted two months. The child was tested at the beginning and at the end of the intervention to determine whether there was gain in the stimulated acquisitions. The JT method was adopted for data analysis and verification of occurrence of reliable and clinically relevant positive changes. Results: The results of this study demonstrate that reliable positive changes occurred with respect to the psychomotor items that underwent stimulation. Conclusion: It is possible to infer that this intervention had a positive effect on the child’s development . Hence, this study contributes to improve the care provided to children with delayed psychomotor development, illustrating possibilities of strategies and activities. It also allows the recognition of the action of occupational therapists as one of the professionals who compose the multidisciplinary team focused on early intervention.

When children are not ready to write, assessment of fine motor coordination may be indicated. The purpose of this study was to evaluate which fine motor test, the Nine-Hole Peg Test (9-HPT) or the newly developed Timed Test of In-Hand Manipulation (Timed-TIHM), correlates best with handwriting readiness as measured by the Writing Readiness Inventory Tool In Context-Task Performance (WRITIC-TP). From the 119 participating children, 43 were poor performers. Convergent validity of the 9-HPT and Timed-TIHM with WRITIC-TP was determined, and test-retest reliability of the Timed-TIHM was examined in 59 children. The results showed that correlations of the 9-HPT and Timed-TIHM with the WRITIC-TP were similar (rs = -0.40). The 9-HPT and the complex rotation subtask of the Timed-TIHM had a low correlation with the WRITIC-TP in poor performers (rs = -0.30 and -0.32 respectively). Test-retest reliability of the Timed-TIHM was significant (Intraclass Correlation Coefficient = 0.71). Neither of these two fine motor tests is appeared superior. They both relate to different aspects of fine motor performance. One of the limitations of the methodology was unequal numbers of children in subgroups. It is recommended that further research is indicated to evaluate the relation between development of fine motor coordination and handwriting proficiency, on the Timed-TIHM in different age groups. Copyright (C) 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Present study is focused on highlighting the effects of fine motor coordination errors in multiple reactions tasks to stimuli measured as correct, incorrect and omitted audio-visual stimuli. The hypotheses assume possible statistically differences in the stimuli reactivity between the group with less fine motor errors and the group with high number of errors (left and right hand and total errors). The instruments were the Labyrinth test B19 and the Determination test (Dt test), both from Vienna Tests System (2012). The results confirm only the hypotheses regarding the differences in stimuli reactivity by the influence of total number of errors.

Introducao: As aquisicoes motoras das criancas evoluem de acordo com a idade e com a influencia continua de fatores intrinsecos e extrinsecos, os quais provocam variacoes de uma crianca para outra e tornam unico o curso do desenvolvimento. Objetivo: Elaborar uma intervencao para uma crianca com atraso na coordenacao motora fina, global e no equilibrio e analisar o impacto no desenvolvimento. Metodo: Design quase-experimental do tipo pre e pos-teste. O instrumento utilizado foi a Escala de Desenvolvimento Motor aplicada em uma crianca de 4 anos. A partir dos resultados obtidos na avaliacao foi elaborado um plano de intervencao composto por atividades dirigidas que estimulassem as aquisicoes acima citadas. A concretizacao do plano de intervencao teve duracao de 2 meses, sendo a crianca avaliada antes e ao termino da intervencao para verificar se houve ganho nas aquisicoes estimuladas. O Metodo JT foi adotado para analise dos dados e verificacao de ocorrencia de mudancas positivas confiaveis e clinicamente relevantes. Resultados: Os resultados obtidos no presente estudo demonstram que ocorreram mudancas positivas confiaveis nos itens psicomotores que passaram por estimulacao. Conclusao: Infere-se que a intervencao proposta teve um efeito positivo sobre o desenvolvimento da crianca. Com isso, o estudo contribui para melhoria no cuidado oferecido a criancas com atrasos no desenvolvimento psicomotor, ilustrando possibilidades de estrategias e atividades. Tambem possibilita o reconhecimento da acao do terapeuta ocupacional como um dos profissionais que compoe a equipe multidisciplinar voltada a intervencao precoce.

Background There is limited research about the effects of video quality on the accuracy of assessments of physical function. Methods A repeated measures study design was used to assess reliability and validity of the finger–nose test (FNT) and the finger-tapping test (FTT) carried out with 50 veterans who had impairment in gross and/or fine motor coordination. Videos were scored by expert raters under eight differing conditions, including in-person, high definition video with slow motion review and standard speed videos with varying bit rates and frame rates. Results FTT inter-rater reliability was excellent with slow motion video (ICC 0.98–0.99) and good (ICC 0.59) under the normal speed conditions. Inter-rater reliability for FNT ‘attempts’ was excellent (ICC 0.97–0.99) for all viewing conditions; for FNT ‘misses’ it was good to excellent (ICC 0.89) with slow motion review but substantially worse (ICC 0.44) on the normal speed videos. FTT criterion validity (i.e. compared to slow motion review) was excellent (β = 0.94) for the in-person rater and good ( β = 0.77) on normal speed videos. Criterion validity for FNT ‘attempts’ was excellent under all conditions ( r ≥ 0.97) and for FNT ‘misses’ it was good to excellent under all conditions ( β = 0.61–0.81). Conclusions In general, the inter-rater reliability and validity of the FNT and FTT assessed via video technology is similar to standard clinical practices, but is enhanced with slow motion review and/or higher bit rate.

http://dx.doi.org/10.5902/1984686X9012 Este estudo de caso analisa o uso das Tecnologias de Informação e Comunicação (TIC) no apoio a uma criança com Ataxia, a Bia (nome fictício) incluída numa Unidade de Apoio Especializado para a educação de alunos com Multideficiência (UAEM) numa escola pública de Braga, Região Norte de Portugal. A Bia apresentava incapacidade total ao nível da oralidade e graves dificuldades na coordenação da motricidade fina. Além de uma contextualização da relação entre as necessidades educativas especiais (NEE) e as TIC, através da sua interligação, aborda-se e descreve-se a intervenção ao nível das TIC e a sua integração no currículo e na aprendizagem e de seguida relata-se este processo de integração, que teve a finalidade de lhe proporcionar produtos de apoio que assegurassem os necessários meios para promover e aumentar a sua comunicação. Palavras-chave – Inclusão, Necessidades Educativas Especiais (NEE), Ataxia, Tecnologias de Informação e Comunicação (TIC), Sintetizador de Voz.

The scientific literature shows that the acquisition of literacy is a basic and indispensable to consolidate school learning other instrumental learning. The processes involved in the acquisition of the reading and writing require sensory integration within a set sequential maturation process that must be programmed interconnection information to the brain as a result of the different and multiple connections occur between functional parts. At this point, the driving factors of the environment and stimulation are key, regardless of the presence or absence of learning difficulties during childhood. Thus, the development of motor patterns contributes to automatic movements that help decrease the burden of care for subjects increased: muscle tone (essential to consolidate the stroke) ; graphomotor balance, and General motor coordination as well as fine motor coordination (eye-hand, essentially). Often, because of the discrepancy of different maturation levels in relation to the acquisition of motor patterns in the early years, it might appear associated learning disabilities. In this paper the different motor patterns are identified and associated with the bases of the nervous system for understanding brain functionality and complexity associated with reading-writing processes. For this, attends a review of studies in which the incidence of these other variables is observed. Finally, recognizing the principle of prevention in education, it is considered that many of the difficulties related to reading and writing can be prevented with proper educational intervention in the early school years.Keywords: motor patterns, reading, writing, neuroscience, brain.Resumen.La literatura científica evidencia que la adquisición de la lectoescritura constituye un aprendizaje instrumental básico e indispensable para consolidar otros aprendizajes escolares. Los procesos que intervienen en la adquisición de la lectura y la escritura requieren de una integración sensorial dentro de un conjunto proceso madurativo secuencial en el que se ha de programar la interconexión de la información que llega al cerebro como efecto de las diferentes y múltiples conexiones que entre sus partes funcionales ocurren. En este punto, los factores motrices y la estimulación del entorno resultan claves, independientemente de la presencia o ausencia de dificultades de aprendizaje durante la niñez. De tal manera, el desarrollo de los patrones motores contribuye a generar automatismos en los movimientos que permiten disminuir la carga de atención de los sujetos por un aumento de: el tono muscular (indispensable para consolidar el trazo); el equilibrio grafomotor; y de la coordinación motriz general, así como de coordinaciones motoras específicas (óculomanual, esencialmente). Con frecuencia, como consecuencia de la discrepancia de diferentes niveles madurativos en relación a la adquisición de los patrones motores en los primeros años, puede ser que aparezcan dificultades de aprendizaje asociadas. En este trabajo se identifican los diferentes patrones motores y se asocian a las bases del sistema nervioso que permiten entender la funcionalidad del cerebro y su complejidad relacionada con los procesos lecto-escritores. Para ello, se atiende a una revisión de trabajos en los que se observa la incidencia de estas variables en otras. Finalmente, reconociendo al principio de prevención en educación, se considera que muchas de las dificultades relacionadas con la lectura y la escritura se pueden prevenir con una adecuada intervención educativa en los primeros años escolares.Palabras clave: patrones motores, lectura, escritura, neurociencia, cerebro.

This study explored transactional associations among visuomotor integration, attention, fine motor coordination, and mathematics skills in a diverse sample of one hundred thirty-five 5-year-olds (kindergarteners) and one hundred nineteen 6-year-olds (first graders) in the United States who were followed over the course of 2 school years. Associations were dynamic, with more reciprocal transactions occurring in kindergarten than in the later grades. Specifically, visuomotor integration and mathematics exhibited ongoing reciprocity in kindergarten and first grade, attention contributed to mathematics in kindergarten and first grade, mathematics contributed to attention across the kindergarten year only, and fine motor coordination contributed to mathematics indirectly, through visuomotor integration, across kindergarten and first grade. Implications of examining the hierarchical interrelations among processes underlying the development of children's mathematics skills are discussed.

Irregularities in force output are present throughout human movement and can impair task performance. We investigated the presence of a large force discontinuity (after-peak reduction, APR) that appeared immediately following peak in maximal effort ramp contractions performed with the thumb adductor and ankle dorsiflexor muscles in 25 young adult participants (76% males, 24% females; M age 24.4 years, SD = 7.1). The after-peak reduction displayed similar parameters in both muscle groups with comparable drops in force during the after-peak reduction minima (thumb adductor: 27.5 ± 7.5% maximal voluntary contraction; ankle dorsiflexor: 25.8 ± 6.2% maximal voluntary contraction). A trend for the presence of fewer after-peak reductions with successive ramp trials was observed, suggesting a learning effect. Further investigation should explore underlying neural mechanisms contributing to the after-peak reduction.

The authors report improved fine motor coordination when using Dexteria with a healthy population. Technology may improve patient engagement and participation when incorporated into treatment programs. - Kristin Valdes, OTD, OT, CHT, Practice Forum Editor, Journal of Hand Therapy.

In order to successfully master the initial writing process that a child faces at school, it is necessary to develop fine motor coordination of the arm, hand and finger muscles. The aim of this paper is to provide the child with perceptual - motor activities, movement games as well as other physical activities that require precise movements and coordination between the two hands and arms and eyes to release the hand, hand and fingers, prepare the child for fine motor coordination and encourage initial writing. The sequence of procedures in the development of fine motor coordination as well as physical activities contributing to the development of: muscle tone, lateralization, movements of the hand and fingers, sensory observation, orientation in time and space, abilities and skills of ocular evaluation, feeling for rhythm and fine motor - visual guidance, willing control and coordination between the movement of the hand, hand and fingers, both hands and arms and eyes. The above physical activities and movement games can be used at all stages of educational work for expanding and determining children's motor skills within guided and free activities, movement games, morning physical exercise, outdoor and indoor playgrounds. Theoretical analysis of movement games and physical activities is an attempt to determine fine motor skills (preparation for initial writing) as a product-outcome, as a product of the mentioned organized activities that can provide them with specific and varied experiences, and help to develop motor and other abilities that will encourage children to write.

This article describes the development of a teacher rating scale that is sensitive to a select group of behavior disorders exhibited by children in the classroom. The scale, the Illinois Classroom Assessment Profile (ICAP), was developed to distinguish among behavioral dimensions representing sustained attention, impulsivity, conduct, fine motor coordination, and evaluative anxiety. The fact that disorders in these behaviors are observed in children diagnosed as hyperactive has served as the impetus for this research. The ICAP is intended to facilitate research investigating the effects of specific treatments on each of these behavioral dimensions.

This paper envisions a futuristic scenario for supporting gross and fine motor skills of children with developmental disorders in an integrated environment using virtual reality, exergames, tracking sensors (e.g., Kinect, Leap motion) and artificial intelligence. First, we show the importance of supporting gross and fine motor coordination skills of children with developmental disorders. Then, we state the technologies already developed and the current proposals for technologies designed for supporting gross and fine motor coordination skills. Our proposal consists of a technological room --ExerCaveRoom-, where children can practice exercises for fine and motor coordination skills specifically adapted for their needs using different kinds of technology, with the advantage of performing their complete therapy in the same environment. Additionally, the therapists can obtain children's performance records to analyze their progress. Finally, we present the challenges involved in our proposal.

As a part of a large multidisciplinary clinical and research follow-up study, 47 Williams syndrome patients underwent detailed neurologic testing. Because previous studies have documented the absence of major neurologic signs in Williams syndrome, the neurologic testing focused on soft signs. Previous findings of impairment of both gross and fine motor coordination were confirmed, and the presence of mild cerebellar and extrapyramidal signs was documented. In a 4-year follow-up study, an age-related pattern was revealed: soft extrapyramidal signs became more evident from 8 years of age and increased in the 14+ age group. The results are discussed according to a hypothesis related to the dopaminergic system involvement in Williams syndrome: anomalous organization or accelerated ageing process.

Long term alcohol abuse causes physical, cognitive, psychological and neuropsychological deficit in alcoholic individual. Current study intends assess and rehabilitate fine motor coordination of chronic alcohol dependent cases. Seven chronic cases of alcohol dependence were selected from de-addiction ward of Ranchi Institute of Neuropsychiatry and Allied Sciences, Kanke. All the cases were assessed on LNNB & AIIMS Motor function scale. Each patient was individually given one month rehabilitation training with Talking Pen. All the cases were assessed in pre and post test condition. Result was analyzed using Wilcoxin Sign Rank Test. Result reveals there was significant difference between patient’s pre and post intervention performance which suggests improved fine motor functioning of the alcohol dependent individuals.

Background Visual-motor integration (VMI) skills are essential for successful academic performance, but to date no studies have assessed these skills in a population-based cohort of Australian Aboriginal children who, like many children in other remote, disadvantaged communities, consistently underperform academically. Furthermore, many children in remote areas of Australia have prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), which are often associated with VMI deficits. Methods VMI, visual perception, and fine motor coordination were assessed using The Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration, including its associated subtests of Visual Perception and Fine Motor Coordination, in a cohort of predominantly Australian Aboriginal children (7.5–9.6 years, n = 108) in remote Western Australia to explore whether PAE adversely affected test performance. Cohort results were reported, and comparisons made between children i) without PAE; ii) with PAE (no FASD); and iii) FASD. The prevalence of moderate (≤16th percentile) and severe (≤2nd percentile) impairment was established. Results Mean VMI scores were ‘below average’ (M = 87.8 ± 9.6), and visual perception scores were ‘average’ (M = 97.6 ± 12.5), with no differences between groups. Few children had severe VMI impairment (1.9%), but moderate impairment rates were high (47.2%). Children with FASD had significantly lower fine motor coordination scores and higher moderate impairment rates (M = 87.9 ± 12.5; 66.7%) than children without PAE (M = 95.1 ± 10.7; 23.3%) and PAE (no FASD) (M = 96.1 ± 10.9; 15.4%). Conclusions Aboriginal children living in remote Western Australia have poor VMI skills regardless of PAE or FASD. Children with FASD additionally had fine motor coordination problems. VMI and fine motor coordination should be assessed in children with PAE, and included in FASD diagnostic assessments.

The present study measured the short-term effect of special stimulating music on motor coordination in Parkinson patients. Eleven patients with a dominant akinetic Parkinson syndrome as well as ten healthy persons (age-matched control group) participated in this study. In the Parkinson group, the measurement of fine motor coordination with the 'Vienna Test System' showed an improvement in two (aiming, line tracking) of the four subtests after listening to the music. The patients improved their performance with the right arm significantly in the subtest aiming-error-time. No statistical differences were found in the other two subtests (steadiness, tapping) in both groups. There was also no improvement in frequency of tapping movement on the power-force-working-plate. Accordingly, music effects more the precision of a movement than the speediness. The measurements on the power-force-working-plate showed a significant improvement in two of five measured parameters: contact time, variability coefficient for total step and impact maximum changed significantly. This study gives evidence that specific music can improve the precision of arm and finger movements.

Motor coordination problems are common in different developmental disorders including autism and dyspraxia. Gross and fine motor coordination skills are critical to the appropriate motor coordination development that is relevant to support individuals' independence. Exergames are a good tool to help children practice motor skills as they find them engaging. In this work, we present how FroggyBobby an exergame designed for practicing gross motor coordination skills, can be extended to combine gross and fine motor exercises for supporting children with motor problems to practice self-care activities that require motor coordination.

Poor fine motor coordination including unestablished hand preference, poor bimanual coordination and avoidance of crossing the body midline in children are common reasons for referral to occupational therapy. Clinical observations suggest a possible correlation between these variables in children with learning disabilities (Ayres, 1973). Several occupational therapy intervention sources for children suggest that unestablished hand preference may be treated by employing exercises in bimanual coordination and crossing of the midline. However, there is little empirical evidence that a significant correlation exists between hand preference, bimanual coordination and crossing of the body midline. Specific investigation of the relationship between the three variables should provide a stronger basis for treatment of children presenting with problems in bilateral integration, crossing of the midline and poorly established hand preference. The nature of this relationship may shape the foundations for a spe...