Health Promotion in a Low-income Primary School: Children with and Without DCD Benefit, but Differently

ABSTRACT

Poor motor performance and reduced physical fitness are characteristic of children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). These features have also been identified more frequently among children living in low socio-economic circumstances. Aims: To evaluate the outcomes of a nine-week health promotion program (HPP) on the motor performance and fitness levels of children (6–10 years) with and without DCD attending a low-income primary school. Methods: The HPP was designed and implemented by undergraduate physiotherapy students using guidelines from the World Health Organization School Health Initiative and their physiotherapy curriculum. Children with DCD (n = 22) and a control group without DCD (n = 19) participated in the evaluation. Motor skill, functional strength, aerobic capacity, and anaerobic power were measured at baseline and after nine weeks. Results: Both groups of children improved on all measures at the conclusion of the HPP. Children with DCD showed greater improvement than the control group in motor performance and the control group showed greater improvement on one of the anaerobic fitness outcomes. Conclusions: A school-based HPP that focuses on increasing opportunities for physical activity may be effective in improving motor performance in children with DCD and can increase fitness levels in general.

KEYWORDS. :

• Developmental coordination disorder
• DCD
• fitness
• health promotion
• Intervention
• motor skill
• physiotherapy
• school-based

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We are grateful to the principal, educators, support staff, parents, and learners who made this research possible. The authors also acknowledge the following students who assisted with assessments and interventions: Jacqueline De Jongh, Lara Manogaran, Lana Daniels, Sarah Hotchkiss, undergraduate physiotherapy students from the University of Cape Town, South Africa, and the master pediatric physical therapy students from AVANS⁺ University for Professionals, Breda, the Netherlands.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflict of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.

The first author received funding from the University of Cape Town Research Committee. The funders had no influence on the nature or design of the study.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Dr. Gillian D. Ferguson, PhD, is a senior lecturer in the Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. Ms. Niri Naidoo, MSc, is a lecturer in the Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. Prof. Dr. Bouwien Smits-Engelsman, PhD, is a Professor in the Department of Kinesiology at the Catholic University in Leuven, Belgium and a Honorary Professor in the Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at the University of Cape Town, South Africa.

Notes

¹ Children, who had failed a grade level more than once, were considered to have intellectual cognitive delay and were not included in either the control or DCD group.