Importance: Given the importance of proprioception in motor coordination, the identification of sensory deficits contributing to motor challenges is crucial for appropriate intervention; however, objective proprioceptive tests are not currently available in pediatric clinical practice.
Objective: To pilot test methods for assessing proprioception in children. Children with somatodyspraxia were predicted to have reduced proprioceptive awareness compared with age-matched control children.
Design: Observational study.
Setting: Individual clinic.
Participants: Ten children identified as having somatodyspraxia and 10 typically developing children, ages 6-8 yr.
Outcomes and measures: Spatial awareness and force perception were assessed by having the children match arm positions and grip and pinch forces using electronic dynamometers.
Results: All children were able to complete the proprioceptive assessments. Of those identified as having somatodyspraxia, 90% showed deficits in at least one area of proprioception. Children with somatodyspraxia performed more poorly on spatial awareness and force perception tests than typically developing children (p < .05).
Conclusions and relevance: Children with dyspraxia have difficulties with spatial awareness and force perception, confirming a somatosensory contribution to dyspraxia.
What this article adds: This article presents a framework and methods to measure proprioception in children. These methods will allow occupational therapy practitioners to quantify the proprioceptive deficits common in children with dyspraxia.
Copyright © 2020 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.