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Visual‐motor integration in children with P rader– W illi syndrome
Author(s) -
Lo S. T.,
Collin P. J. L.,
HokkenKoelega A. C. S.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
journal of intellectual disability research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.941
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1365-2788
pISSN - 0964-2633
DOI - 10.1111/jir.12197
Subject(s) - psychology , motor coordination , visual perception , audiology , developmental psychology , perception , medicine , neuroscience
Background Prader–Willi syndrome ( PWS ) is characterised by hypotonia, hypogonadism, short stature, obesity, behavioural problems, intellectual disability, and delay in language, social and motor development. There is very limited knowledge about visual‐motor integration in children with PWS . Method Seventy‐three children with PWS aged 7–17 years were included. Visual‐motor integration was assessed using the B eery V isual‐motor Integration test at the start of the study and after 2 years. The association between visual‐motor integration and age, gender, genetic subtype and intelligence was assessed. Results Children with PWS scored ‘very low’ (−3 standard deviations) in visual‐motor integration and ‘below average’ (−1 standard deviation) in visual perception and motor coordination compared with typically developing children. Visual‐motor integration was higher in children with a deletion (β = −0.170, P = 0.037), in older children (β = 0.222, P = 0.009) and in those with a higher total IQ (β = 0.784, P < 0.001). Visual perception was higher with a deletion (β = −0.193, P = 0.044) and higher IQ (β = −0.618, P < 0.001), but motor coordination was only higher with a higher total IQ (β = 0.429, P = 0.001). Visual perception and motor coordination were not associated with age or gender. There was a trend for visual‐motor integration decline over the 2 year follow‐up period ( P = 0.099). Visual perception and motor coordination did not change over the follow‐up period. Conclusions Visual‐motor integration is very poor in children with PWS . Children scored higher on the time‐limited subtests for visual perception and motor coordination than the combined test for visual‐motor integration. Separation of visual‐motor integration tasks into pure visual or motor tasks and allowing sufficient time to perform the tasks might improve daily activities, both at home and at school.