Abstract:
Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects motor skills during life. Although it is a highly prevalent disorder, estimated to affect 5% to 6% of school-aged children, little is known about the aetiology of DCD. Although developmental coordination disorder in both classification systems is classified as separate neurodevelopmental disorder, this population of children, in addition to impaired motor functioning, often exhibits impairments in language domain, attention, and social functioning.
DCD is not limited only in the performance of daily activities, but also in academic functioning and in a foreign language. As poor academic achievement is most often the "trigger" for diagnosing this disorder, with frequent overlapping of language and coordination disorder in this group of children, the question of phonological development in this group of children arises. Examination of phonological awareness of children with DCD in relation to children without this disorder shows statistical significant differences (p < .000) in phonological processing in children with DCD. Delay in phonological awareness in this group of children can be a significant predictor in earlier diagnosis this population of children.
Key words: developmental coordination disorder, phonological abilities, phonological awareness, academic skills.
