Objectives: Of children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
(ADHD), 45-70% have motor skill problems, which can adversely affect
social competence, peer relations, and academic skills. The aim of this
study is to assess motor skills in school-aged children with ADHD, and
to elucidate if there are any relationships between ADHD symptoms
and cognitive function.
Method: Included in this study were 58 children (38 ADHD, 20
controls) between 8-11 years of age. Children were diagnosed with
ADHD via the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia
for School-Aged Children Present and Lifetime Version. The parents
were asked to fill out the Conner’s’ Parent Rating Scale – Revised Short
Turkish Form to determine the symptom domains and the symptom
severity. The Wechsler Children’s Intelligence Scale-IV was used to
assess cognitive skills, and the Bruininks -Oseretsky Motor Proficiency
Test was used to assess motor skills.
Results: Children with ADHD had impaired performance in many
motor skill areas compared to the controls. Impairments in fine motor
skills were correlated with problems in attention, working memory, and
processing speed. In the ADHD group, age was not correlated with
motor skills enhancement.
Conclusion: The multistage clinical evaluation of ADHD should
include screening for problems in motor skills. If deficiencies are found,
the child should be clinically evaluated for motor proficiency and, if
necessary, should be referred for appropriate objective assessment and
intervention programs.