ABSTRACT
The development of skilled movement is a primary means by which the child gains mastery over the environment. Abnormalities in this domain have been referred to as “clumsiness” (Gubbay, 1975), “developmental dyspraxia” (Ayres, 1972; Cermak, 1985; Denckla, 1984), “developmental apraxia and agnosia” (Walton, Ellis, & Court, 1962), “apractognosia” (Brain, 1961), and “developmental coordination disorder” (DSM-IV; APA, 1994). Although developmental disorders of motor function are both common and significantly impact growth in other cognitive and social-emotional domains, they have received much less attention than developmental disorders more closely related to academic skills (i.e. language, reading, and arithmetic disability).
