Your Therapy Source Magazine for Pediatric Therapists May 2015 | Page 11

Motor Skills, Medication and ADHD
Research in Developmental Disabilities published a review of 45
research articles analyzing the motor skills of of children (between
6-16 years old) with ADHD and the influence of medication on
their motor skills.
The results indicated the following:
1. more than half of the children with ADHD have difficulties with
gross and fine motor skills.
2. children with ADHD inattentive subtype presented with more impairment of fine motor skills,
slow reaction time, and online motor control during complex tasks.
3. the percentage of children with ADHD who improved their motor skills to the normal range
by using medication varied from 28% to 67% between studies. The children who still show
motor deficit while on medication might meet the diagnostic criteria of developmental
coordination disorder (DCD).
The researchers recommend that assessment of motor skills is needed among children with
ADHD because of the risk of reduced participation in activities of daily living that require motor
coordination and attenti