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(Pediatrics in Review. 1989;10:247-253.)
© 1989 American Academy of Pediatrics
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Clumsy Child

Lawrence T. Taft MD1
Ellis I. Barowsky PhD2
 1 Professor, Department of Pediatrics, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson, Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ.
2 Associate Professor, Department of Special Education, Hunter College of the City, University of New York, New York

It has been estimated that 6% to 7% of school-aged children manifest poor coordination.1 Clinicians will rarely identify the presence of this type of disability from their findings during routine physical and neurologic examinations. What is required is careful observation of the child during performance of fine and gross developmental motor tasks.

It is infrequent that parents will express concern to the pediatrician, unless they have clues from nursery school or grade school teachers, coaches, peers, or, occasionally, from the child him- or herself. The child is usually the first one to be aware of motor limitations, especially when he or she is in competition with children of the same age. Unfortunately, the child does not usually verbalize his or her concern but will refrain from participating in competitive motor activities to conceal motor inadequacies.

DEFINITION

The term "clumsy child" refers to a boy or girl who performs fine and/or gross motor tasks in an immature, disorganized, erratic, slow, irregular, or inconsistent fashion. The relevant motor skills are imprecise rather than grossly impaired and the neurologic examination does not reveal significant postural disabilities or involuntary movements.

SIGNIFICANCE

A pediatrician should not minimize the significance of clumsiness. It is frequently associated with other evidence of cerebral dysfunction, such as cognitive and/or perceptual impairments that may result in learning disabilities.




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Home page
 J Child NeurolHome page
T. A. Blondis, J. H. Snow, N. J. Roizen, K. J. Opacich, and P. J. Accardo
Early Maturation of Motor-Delayed Children at School Age
J Child Neurol, October 1, 1993; 8(4): 323 - 329.
[Abstract] [PDF]


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Copyright © 1989 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.