Performance on a tablet-based visual-spatial-motor task is compromised in adults and children with dyslexia: implications for the development of a novel screening tool

Willis, Alexandra; Piotrowska, Barbara; Bannach-Brown, Alexandra; MacLean, Rory D J; Kerridge, Jon

Abstract

Many adults and children with dyslexia also have problems with lower-level sensory, attentional, or motor tasks. In particular, there may be problems with auditory processing1, visual motion processing2-3, visual-spatial attention4, and motor control5-6. However, whether these low-level sensory or motor problems underlie dyslexia, or merely co-exist with it, remains a topic of much debate7-8.
•If these sensorimotor problems do underlie dyslexia, they should be demonstrable in young children, before they learn to read. Early identification of dyslexia is important because targeted interventions appear to be most effective when introduced early in childhood: however, there is currently little evidence from longitudinal studies to explore the antecedents of dyslexia in children. The few longitudinal studies published on this topic do indeed suggest that low-level sensory deficits may predict later reading difficulties in young children.

Citation

Willis, A., Piotrowska, B., Bannach-Brown, A., MacLean, R. D. J., & Kerridge, J. (2014, March). Performance on a tablet-based visual-spatial-motor task is compromised in adults and children with dyslexia: implications for the development of a novel screening tool

• Presentation Conference Type: Poster
• Start Date: Mar 27, 2014
• End Date: Mar 29, 2014
• Deposit Date: Jan 15, 2015
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Keywords: Dyslexia; auditory processing; visual motion processing; visual-spatial attention; motor control; sensorimotor problems; tablet tasks; screening tools
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/id/eprint/7473
• Contract Date: Jan 15, 2015