The Remediation of Clumsiness: Is Kinaesthesis the Answer?
Summary
Clumsiness disorders are associated with physical limitations in young children. Some children may appear to be normal, but they are faced with difficulties in performing some basic skills. These children are diagnosed with coordination disorders when they are discovered early. The diagnosis of this disorder was first made by a psychiatry report. The following are some of the steps that are followed in diagnosing the disorder. Performance of some daily activities may take long to be realized by some children.
Such activities are motor related and they include walking, sitting, and crawling. This may be manifested in clumsy behavior such as constantly dropping things and performing poorly in sports (Piek, 1998). There is interference in academic performance due to a disturbance to a recognized criterion of doing things. The disturbance is not due to the medical condition and may not fit into a description of a developmental disorder. The difficulties in achieving body movements may be excessive if the child has mental retardation.
The clumsiness disorder is one of the most common clumsiness disorders that occur in the world. The symptoms are associated with brain injury or neurological illness. The clumsiness disorder describes a specific developmental condition in childhood stage. This is common in children who display constant clumsy behavior and poor coordination. The disorder arises from the inability to properly plan and sequence body movements. The disease is associated to underdevelopment of the brain. Many instances of the disorder are hereditary.
This disorder causes the child to delay in reaching development objective. Such delays include walking late and longer crawling periods. It leads to social issues, as the child is unable to join other children in playgrounds due to the disorder. The child lacks confidence and is socially isolated. This may affect academic performance and cause disharmony in the child’s family life. Sometimes, the condition may be severe, and the child may not be able to adapt to the situation. As a result, the child may not be able to counter the problem.
This may cause the child to have physical deficiencies and behavioral issues. As a result, this condition might have an adverse effect on children and their families. It is recommended to diagnose the disorder early enough to begin treatment. Treatment is likely to succeed if it is started before the child begins school (Moffat, Bohmert, & Hulme, 2008). In some cases, it is not easy to discover the disorder until the child has joined a school. Teachers get the opportunity to compare their performance to other children. The disorder is not curable, but it can be treated when discovered early and given enough support.
Critical Evaluation of Research Methodology
The Kinaesthetic program for children with the disorder has been used and proposed by Laszlo. Ten clumsy children were sued as subjects for the study. They were investigated based on elements such as IQ, age, and the degree of kinaesthetic behavior. Their kinaesthetic abilities were measured by the Parameter Estimation Sequential Testing. One motor competence is administered before treatment then another one is also administered after treatment. This later revealed improvement in groups of different nature.
Changes observed in the motor training were confined in balancing skills. This was followed by changes in ball skills that were evident after the training. The result is an unusual pattern that requires replication. There are possibilities that the effects of the research can be used for recommendation in training programmes. The procedure used in the training program was facilitated by motor learning. The research programmes need a management procedure necessary for the identification of the disorder.
The evidence suggests that the health officials are unaware of the existence of the condition. This evokes parental concern on developmental delays. The research methodologies are aimed at investigating the health provisions for recognition and diagnosis of the disorder in children. The approaches used in the study require a standard approach that involves a referral to a physio-occupational therapy (Chambers & Sugden, 2005). Other methodologies used include speech therapy which depends on the child’s needs and other arrangements. The waiting times can be long due to limited resources.
The multidisciplinary provisions for the disorder are rare, but there are exceptions that include therapy services. These therapy programs are offered to children at Child Development Centers. Institutions have standardized assessments that have been created to help teachers identify children with the disorders. The conditions are caused by the failure of neurons to form pathways in the right hemisphere of the brain. This is a common occurrence when the brain develops. It leads to lack of accuracy especially when the brain instructs the body to perform certain functions.
Research shows that children are not equipped with all motor skills necessary for their development. Children establish these skills through trial and error means. The motor skills depend on the acquisition and formation of reliable neural pathways. This is needed for transmission of instructions in the brain. The neural pathways also transmit instructions from the brain to the limbs for movement. Several standardized assessments have been utilized to identify the movement disorders.
The movement Assessment Battery is a device that has been widely used to assess children for a long time. This method of assessment is also referred to as the movement ABC. This device diagnoses the disorder although it is a screening device (Bremner, Lewkowicz, & Spence, 20012). Simple screening methods are suitable to be used by teachers. This is because the instruments employed in the processes are easy to use. The research methodologies focus on assessing the child’s behavior before they join a school. Teachers are trained on the ways they can assess and train children who have the disorders.
Researchers developed an intelligence scale that was used to assess children. Most of the information acquired for this study comes from educational literature. This is contrary to the expectation that the information would be extracted from medical sources. The concept of Kinaesthesis defines a sense that informs about the position of the body. These methodologies lead to clinical diagnoses that involve thorough screening to eliminate other psychological causes. Many children are diagnosed because their parents notice their development targets. This is realized when parents seek medical attention for their children. These disorders or motor difficulties are discovered once the children have joined a school.
Proposal
The research methodologies were based on three strategies that include therapy, school based services and special education that is implemented by education authorities. Other services offered include professional help such as physiotherapy, and exercise offered to the child for improvement (Chambers, 2005). Some of the assistance offered to children as school-based measures may include the individual attention offered to the child to ensure that the child is well served.
Researcher developed a Motor Skills Screening Test that can be used in a short time. This is estimated to take about 20 minutes to take a complete test. The test is used to assess coordination and motor competence. Some tests are carried out using Wechsler Intelligence scale, which is mainly used for children. The children are offered extra tuition to help pass the subjects they are facing problems with.
Laptops and keyboards are provided for writing. Physical exercises offered in Physical Education lessons are essential for the child’s development. Recent surveys indicate that few schools have the necessary strategies in dealing with physical disorders (Adapted physical activity quarterly, 1984). School based programs come with several advantages. The child has the benefit of being treated during the course study. This significantly reduces disruption if the child is required to take time off to access treatment.
This is closely related to the use of Kinaesthesis, which is used to treat the disorder. This method analyses body position in relation to the direction and the speed of movements. Kinaesthesis also analyses pressure applied to muscles. Research indicates that clumsiness is caused by the absence of kinaestetic ability. This is attributed to the fact that kinaesthesis is necessary to motor performance that needs skill.
This ability is only developed once the child has reached childhood stage. These methods involve repeated practice of the motor skills that are aimed at improving the overall motor processes. A study carried out on 40 children had the aim to compare the process with traditional methods. Results showed that the process was more efficient than the traditional methods. That is why, it could be stated that kinaesthesis is the way to go when it comes to the treatment of clumsiness disorders.
References
Adapted physical activity quarterly: APAQ. (1984). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics Publishers.
Bremner, A. J., Lewkowicz, D. J., & Spence, C. (2012). Multisensory Development. Oxford: OUP Oxford.
Chambers, M. (2005). Early years movement skills: Description, diagnosis and intervention. Chichester: Whurr Publishers Ltd.
Chambers, M., & Sugden, D. (2005). Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder. London: Whurr.
Moffat, M., Bohmert, J. A., & Hulme, J. B. (2008). Neuromuscular essentials: Applying the preferred physical therapist practice patterns. Thorofare, NJ: SLACK.
Piek, J. P. (1998). Motor behavior and human skill: A multidisciplinary approach. Champaign, Ill: Human Kinetics.
