The main aim of this grant was to consider locomotor abilities in individuals with and without Developmental Coordination Disorder. We considered this in four distinct phases. The first simply looked at the control of unobstructed walking in this population. The grant then moved on to look at the negotiation of obstacles, specifically how individuals walk through narrow gaps or apertures. In phase two we considered the visual judgements of individuals when deciding whether they were able to pass through a narrow gap or not. In phase 3, we asked participants to actually pass through these same narrow gaps / apertures and we measured their movements. Finally in phase 4 we considered negotiation of unexpected obstacles, as participants walked a ‘gate’ might or might not close in their pathway. For this series of studies we used the same participants with and without DCD. This consisted of a group of 44 participants with DCD aged from 7 years to 32 years and a group of age (within 6 months) and gender matched typically developing participants. Participants with DCD were selected in line with DSM 5 criteria. More detailed information about each participant can be found within each datasheet. Some of the data has an embargo due to forthcoming publications – however, it will all be available from 01.01.17 This entry refers to Phase 3 negotiating apertures in children Datasheets from the other phases are as follows: Phase 1: Navigational abilities in individuals with and without Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD); Phase 1: Flat walking (this is the data for all of the participants) Phase 2: Navigational abilities in individuals with and without Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD): Phase 2 visual judgements of size (this is the data for all of the participants) Phase 3: (two files) Navigational abilities in individuals with and without Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD); Phase 3: Negotiating obstacles in children with DCD (this is the data for the 7-17 year olds) Navigational abilities of typically developing individuals and individuals with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD): Phase 3 adult data (this is the data for the 18-32 year-olds) Phase 4: Navigational abilities in individuals with and without Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD); Phase 4: Unexpected obstacle avoidance typical adults (this is a data set of typical adults only) During everyday life we walk around busy environments, negotiating stationary and moving obstacles. This is usually performed effortlessly but actually involves complex skills to visually monitor the environment and control body movements. For individuals with coordination difficulties this presents a real challenge and can have a negative impact on safe participation at school or work and in everyday life. This project will consider several aspects of obstacle avoidance and navigation in children and adults with and without Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). DCD is characterized by everyday motor problems in the absence of sensory, intellectual or neurological impairment. The condition occurs in almost 2% of children and usually continues into adulthood. Primarily the project will focus on locomotion while negotiating a gap/aperture between obstacles such as that created by a doorway or parked cars. Such a task has both a perceptual element and a motor element. We plan to consider the perceptual element both in isolation and within a movement context. Finally the project will consider navigation of unpredictable or changing environments. The proposed research will further our understanding of the mechanisms underlying DCD and thereby assist in planning more effective interventions to support motor learning.

The methodologies are described here, but a fuller description can be found at: Wilmut, K., Du, W., & Barnett, A.L. (2015) How do I fit through that gap? Navigation through apertures in adults with Developmental Coordination Disorder. PLoS ONE 10(4): e0124695. doi: 10.1371/journal/pone.0124695 Participants stood 7m away from an aperture formed by two sliding partitions. Movement was tracked using a 16 camera VICON system with markers attached to the right and left acroniom process and the seventh cervical vertebrae. The size of the aperture was varied with respect to each participants' shoulder width. This size of this aperture could be 0.9, 1.1, 1.3, 1.5, 1.7, 1.9 or 2.1 size shoulder width. Participants were asked to walk up to and pass through each aperture turning if necessary. Each shoulder to aperture ratio was presented 5 times. Both individuals with and without DCD were tested. The participants with DCD were screened in line with DSM 5 criteria and were aged between 7 and 17 years of age (N=29). Typically developing children were aged (within 6 months) and gender matched to the participants with DCD.