Motor abilities, developmental movement disorders and the role of sensorimotor processing: problems in terminology and interdisciplinary communication

Abstract

Many occupational therapists work in the field of movement performance, motor abilities and any kind of associated developmental movement disorders. Today, although different professional disciplines, through their clinical or research work, are engaged with aspects of movement performance, they are using different terms in order to describe similar conditions or disorders. This has led to much confusion between movement performance and motor abilities and around developmental movement disorders; some professionals diagnose developmental coordination disorder and others developmental dyspraxia. In addition, the ICD-10 and DSM-IV use different terms and criteria for the diagnosis of developmental movement disorders. In this paper, the relevant literature is reviewed and an attempt is made to clarify the difference between movement performance and motor abilities. The differences between sensorimotor processing, motor planning and sequence of movement are analyzed. In addition, the different terms used by occupational therapists and other professionals to describe developmental movement disorders are reviewed.