Gross Motor Skills in Children with Cerebral Palsy and Intellectual Disability

Objectives: The aim of this study is to determine the connection of gross motor skills (locomotor skills and object control) and the degree of associated intellectual disability (ID) in children with cerebral palsy (CP). Participants and methods: The study sample included 54 children with CP and associated ID age 5 years to 6 years and 11 months. For the assessment of tested skills, The Gross Motor Function Classification System-Expanded and Revised (GMFCS-E&R), Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence-Fourth Edition (WPPSI-IV) and Test of Gross Motor Development Second Edition (TGMD-2) were used. Results: The results of this study indicate better quality of locomotor skills than object control skills in children with CP and associated ID. Children with CP and mild ID have better quality of locomotor skills and object control, than children with CP and moderate ID. Differences between these two groups of children are presented relative to GMFCS-E&R levels. Conclusion: This study has determined significant interconnection of the quality of gross motor functions and intellectual capacity in preschool children with CP. This should be considered when creating more detailed individual developmental rehabilitation plan in children with CP and associated ID and predict adequate measures of developmental stimulation.This is the peer‐reviewed version of the article: Djuric-Zdravkovic, A.; Perovic, D.; Milanovic-Dobrota, B.; Japundza-Milisavljevic, M. Gross Motor Skills in Children with Cerebral Palsy and Intellectual Disability. Physikalische Medizin, Rehabilitationsmedizin, Kurortmedizin 2021, 31 (01), 44–51. [https://doi.org/10.1055/a-1193-5170

Attention in children with intellectual disabilities

The aim of this study was to determine the reference values of achievement on the test for the assesment of selective attention in children with mild intellectual disabilities. The sample consists of 120 examinees, aged from 12 to 17 years, of both sexes. The intelligence quotient (IQ) of the examinees ranged from 51 to 69, estimated by the standard tests for the evaluation of intellectual capabilities. In this study, the Stroop test was used to assess the level of development of selective attention. The study results show a low level of achievement of this population in the examined work segment, whilst with the statistical data processing a high statistically significant relationship was established between the two assessed variables within the used test

The socially acceptable behavioural patterns in children with intellectual disabilities

The aim of our research is closely linked to determining social behaviour through an estimation of perception of adequate social patterns and their practical application. The next level of estimation encompasses identification of elementary factors, which are statistically closely related to the behaviour of children with mild intellectual disorders. Our research shows that almost 50% of our tested sample exhibits inappropriate forms of social behaviour. A correlative analysis between behaviour and age, as well as school achievement, points to a statistically significant relation. The practical implications of this theory would show that the educator must identify inappropriate patterns of behaviour in every child, in order to define a treatment that must comprise excellent child motivation, trust in the self and in the educator, certainty that this is the only goal that children find interesting, attractive and in accordance with their individual capabilities, needs and possibilities

Intellectual functioning and behavioral disorders.

The paper discusses areas of behavioral functioning of children with intellectual disability, such as behavior with or without hyperactivity. The study covered 124 children with intellectual disability attending elementary schools in Belgrade. The Conners Rating Scale was used, and the areas of behavior in the classroom, participation in the group and attitude towards authority were covered. The results of our study suggest the presence of disorders in behavior and social-emotional functioning ranging from 11.2 to 40.4%. We have highlighted the importance of the use of multimodal approach and method of reeducation of psychomotor activity in rehabilitation of the studied children