Effects of a Highly Intensive Balance Therapy Camp in Children With Developmental Coordination Disorder

NCT07096817 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 21KP09BOF
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 35
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The main objective of this clinical trial is to investigate the short (immediately after intervention) and medium term (three month) effects of a highly intensive, comprehensive postural control 6-day therapy camp in school-aged children (6 to 12 years) with developmental coordination disorder at different levels of the The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framework.

Conditions

Developmental Coordination Disorder

Keywords

"Postural Balance"[Mesh]; "Pediatrics"[Mesh]; Developmental Coordination Disorder; "Motor Skills Disorders"[Mesh]; Postural Control; Rehabilitation; Functional Therapy; Highly intensive therapy; Motor learning; Individual therapy

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Changes in Balance Evaluation Systems Test (Kids-BESTest) scores

  The Kids-BESTest is a standardized performance tool to assess postural control in children aged between 5 and 18 years old. The test has excellent reliability and consists of 36 items divided over 6 domains. Items are scored from 0 (worst performance) to 3 (normal performance) on 4-point Likert scale. Based on the summation of the task scores, the domain and total scores can be calculated and expressed as a percentage (minimum 0 - maximum 100). A higher score means a better balance performance.

  6 months pre-assessment, 3 months pre-assessment, pre-interventional assessment (up to two weeks before the start of the intervention), post-interventional assessment (up to two weeks after the end of the intervention), 3 months follow-up assessment

Secondary Outcomes (11)

• Change in scores on the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM)

  pre-interventional assessment (up to two weeks before the start of the intervention), post-interventional assessment (up to two weeks after the end of the intervention), 3 month follow-up assessment

• Change in scores of the Test of Gross Motor Development, 3rd edition (TGMD-3)

  6 months pre-assessment, 3 months pre-assessment, pre-interventional assessment (up to two weeks before the start of the intervention), post-interventional assessment (up to two weeks after the end of the intervention), 3 months follow-up assessment

• Changes muscle activation patterns during balance tasks (measured with surface electromyography): onset latencies

  6 months pre-assessment, pre-interventional assessment (up to two weeks before the start of the intervention), post-interventional assessment (up to two weeks after the end of the intervention), 3 months follow-up assessment

• Changes muscle activation patterns during balance tasks (measured with surface electromyography): time to peak

  6 months pre-assessment, pre-interventional assessment (up to two weeks before the start of the intervention), post-interventional assessment (up to two weeks after the end of the intervention), 3 months follow-up assessment

• Changes muscle activation patterns during balance tasks (measured with surface electromyography): co-contraction

  6 months pre-assessment, pre-interventional assessment (up to two weeks before the start of the intervention), post-interventional assessment (up to two weeks after the end of the intervention), 3 months follow-up assessment

Study Arms (1)

Individualized balance therapy (with follow-up after and baseline follow-up)

EXPERIMENTAL

The therapy of the children will be given in intensive camps. A total of four camps are organized between April 2023 and August 2024. Each camp consists of six days of therapy, with a total therapy time of 40 hours. The central camp theme is "Circus", due to the attractiveness for children and the link with postural control. The intervention is functional, and divided in six activity categories: jumping, sitting balance, walking and running, circus, individual goals and group activities with focus on social interaction (Table 2). Each category should: 1. partially or fully cover the multisystemic framework of Horak, with the overall program covering the entire framework , 2. be fun and focusing on collaboration rather than competition. During three months prior to the intervention (camps), the children are followed up for six months and assessed at three time points. They will keep on following their usual physiotherapy sessions.

Behavioral: Highly intensive individualized balance therapy

Interventions

Highly intensive individualized balance therapy BEHAVIORAL

In the form of a camp with total therapy hours of 40 hours with a central theme of "Circus", children will receive individualized (1 therapist per child) intensive therapy. The intervention is functional, and divided in six activity categories: jumping, sitting balance, walking and running, circus, individual goals and group activities with focus on social interaction. Each category should: 1. partially or fully cover the multisystemic balance framework of Horak, with the overall program covering the entire framework, 2. be fun and focusing on collaboration rather than competition.

Individualized balance therapy (with follow-up after and baseline follow-up)

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 6 Years - 12 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

You may qualify if:

• diagnosed with DCD by a pediatrician, using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) criteria: (i) motor skill acquisition and performance is at an age-inappropriate level (Criterion A), objectified with the total MABC-2 score at or below the 16th percentile or subscale score at or below the 5th percentile; (ii) the motor skills deficit significantly and persistently interferes with the activities of everyday living (Criterion B), objectified with the DCD Questionnaire 2007 (DCD-Q) ; (iii) Onset of symptoms in early childhood (Criterion C) evaluated by anamnesis with parents; (iv) The motor skills deficits are not better accounted for by any other medical (neurological, intellectual, visual, etc.), neurodevelopmental, psychological, social condition, or cultural background (criterion D), evaluated by a neuromotor examination performed by an acknowledged pediatrician.
• Due to the interventional focus on postural control, children are only included if they score below the 50th percentile for the balance subscale of the MABC-2 and below 80% on the Kids-BESTest total score.
• Due to the high comorbidity rate in children with DCD, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and dyslexia, the comorbidities are listed through thorough anamnesis and the Strengths and difficulties questionnaire (SDQ) is used.

You may not qualify if:

• \- not able to follow instructions or cooperate sufficiently due to behavioral problems

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Hasselt University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Hasselt University

Diepenbeek, Limburg, 3590, Belgium

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Velghe S, Rameckers E, Meyns P, Johnson C, Hallemans A, Verbecque E, Klingels K. Effects of a highly intensive balance therapy camp in children with developmental coordination disorder - An intervention protocol. Res Dev Disabil. 2024 Apr;147:104694. doi: 10.1016/j.ridd.2024.104694. Epub 2024 Feb 20.

  PMID: 38382234 BACKGROUND

Related Links

• website with study information and possibility for enrolment, target group: parents and therapists

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Motor Skills Disorders

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Mental Disorders

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Masking Details: The Kids-BESTest and TGMD-3 performances are videotaped and scored on video by an experienced assessor. Assessors are blinded for the pre-post condition and timing of the assessment.
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Prof. dr.

Model Details: pre-post interventional test design with a triple, nontraining baseline and follow-up. After inclusion, participants are followed for six months prior to the intervention using a triple baseline consisting of six months pre-assessment (T1), a three-months pre-assessment (T2) and a pre-interventional assessment, up to two weeks before the intervention (T3). After the camp, patients perform a post-interventional assessment, up to two weeks after the end of the intervention (T4) and a three-month follow-up assessment (T5)

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: July 11, 2025
• First Posted: July 31, 2025
• Study Start: November 2, 2022
• Primary Completion: November 30, 2024
• Study Completion: November 30, 2024
• Last Updated: July 31, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-07

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Shared Documents: STUDY PROTOCOL
• Time Frame: After publication of results
• Access Criteria: Researchers who provide a methodologically sound proposal

Locations

BE (1)