Katerina Asonitou

This chapter examines inclusive approaches to motor development in children with disabilities, drawing on contemporary research, educational practice, and field-based experience from Greek and European contexts. It outlines key pedagogical strategies – such as differentiated instruction, structured movement activities, autonomy-supportive teaching, and peer-mediated learning – that promote meaningful participation in physical education. The chapter also reviews widely used motor assessment tools, including the Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD)-2/3, Movement Assessment Battery for Children (MABC)-2, and Bruininks–Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOT)-2, and discusses how qualitative observations and practitioner reflections can enrich formal evaluation. Examples from school programs, community initiatives, and European resources such as the Erasmus + “Move as you are” project illustrate how inclusive principles are applied in real settings. By integrating pedagogical, assessment-related, and institutional perspectives, the chapter proposes a practical framework to support equitable and developmentally appropriate motor experiences for all children.

Background/Objectives: Children and adolescents on the autism spectrum often experience delays in both gross and fine motor skills, which can limit their participation in physical activity and everyday tasks. Methods: This narrative review synthesizes evidence from 88 peer-reviewed studies examining fundamental motor skills, broader motor competence, and perceived motor competence in individuals aged 3–18 years with a formal diagnosis of autism. Results: Across the literature, children with autism consistently demonstrate lower proficiency in locomotor and object control skills compared with their typically developing peers, while perceived competence emerges as an important factor influencing motivation and engagement. Intervention studies—most commonly school-based or structured physical activity programs—generally report short-term improvements in motor performance, although outcomes vary depending on study design, dosage, and assessment tools. The review also highlights substantial methodological heterogeneity and a notable lack of evidence concerning adolescents, underscoring the need for longitudinal and developmentally sensitive research. Conclusions: Practical implications are discussed for creating supportive movement environments in educational and adapted physical activity settings. This review follows a narrative synthesis approach informed by a structured search strategy.

Background/Objectives: This study investigates specific neuropsychological functions—visuospatial working memory, attention, planning, and decision-making—among preschool-aged children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) compared to typically developing (TD) peers. The objective was to assess deficits in selective, sustained, and focused expressive attention, visuospatial and visual/verbal working memory, and decision-making abilities, and to examine their relationship with fundamental motor skills. Methods: A comparative study was conducted with Greek preschool-aged children using the Cognitive Assessment System (CAS) to evaluate cognitive processing (planning, attention, simultaneous processing) and the Movement Assessment Battery for Children—Second Edition (MABC-2) to assess motor skills. Results: Significant performance disparities were identified between DCD and TD children across attentional and planning domains, with notable cognitive–motor correlations. Discriminant function analyses revealed high classification accuracy (e.g., 73.9% for receptive attention, 79.5% for simultaneous processing), reinforcing the diagnostic value of targeted cognitive indices. Notably, approximately one-third of the children with DCD (17 out of 44) exhibited deficits in one or more cognitive domains. Conclusions: These findings highlight the importance of neuropsychological profiling in understanding DCD and suggest that targeted motor interventions may simultaneously enhance executive function. A strength-based, holistic assessment approach is recommended, supported by educator training and evidence-based therapeutic programming.

Neurodevelopmental disorders represent a category of psychiatric conditions that manifest during early childhood. They are characterized by atypical development of the central nervous system and can result in a range of emotional and behavioral challenges, as well as significant impairments in psychological, social, academic, and occupational domains. Challenges related to executive function, which include but are not limited to working memory, inhibition, cognitive flexibility, planning and organization, attention, and self-regulation, are commonly observed in individuals with various neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), intellectual disabilities (ID), attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and developmental coordination disorder (DCD). Furthermore, during childhood and adolescence, executive functioning serves as a crucial predictor of academic success. This chapter examines the impact of diverse exercise and sports intervention programs, adapted appropriately, on individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders. It highlights the benefits of enhancing executive functions and their correlation with improvements in social skills, quality of life, and overall well-being.

The Dynamic Motor Intervention Model (DyMIM) proposes three domains. The first domain refers to the cognitive base, called "I KNOW" and is composed of cognitive and motor schemas. The second domain refers to the content of "Who I am" and is called "I AM". It contains beliefs, preferences, and the emotions one experiences when engaging in motor experiences. The third domain is called "I DO" and refers to motor patterns and motor responses and is the point of convergence between actual and perceived motor competence. The distinguishing feature of this intervention model is its emphasis on motor representations as the central reference point. Motor representations, however, not only consist of cognitive-motor information but are decisively shaped by the emotional imprints of the developing individual's engagement with the movement. This intervention aims to facilitate children with developmental disorders to advance the I KNOW, I AM, and I DO domains. The underlying mechanism for this development is the formation of motor representations, which are shaped by the provision of appropriate motor experiences (depending on the age, the capabilities and abilities of the individual, the family, and the social environment) in a context that enhances self-confidence (motivation).

Background/Objectives: Executive dysfunction appears to be a significant secondary characteristic frequently linked with movement disorders. Planning is a high-level cognitive process integral to our executive functions. Children who show deficits in their planning ability usually have difficulties in making decisions or problem-solving, such as initiating tasks or mentally organizing a project, and monitoring and controlling their behavior effectively. These difficulties can significantly impact their academic performance and daily functioning even in adulthood. However, the existing research on the relationships between motor performance and planning abilities is limited and inconsistent. Methods: This study aimed to explore the potential associations between motor and planning skills in 30 preschool-aged children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) and 30 healthy controls matched for age, including utilizing the PASS theory and Cognitive Assessment System (CAS). Results: The findings highlighted balance, total motor score, and planned codes as the primary factors distinguishing the two groups. A significant Pearson’s correlation was observed between the overall MABC-2 scores and the subdomain scores, along with the Planning Scale indices for both groups, suggesting a substantial relationship between these assessments. Among the Planned codes items, the most notable predictor of overall motor performance in children was identified. Furthermore, the total score for Planned Connections emerged as the most robust predictor for tasks associated with manual dexterity. Conclusions: The relationship between motor skills and executive functions in early childhood plays a vital role in the development of early intervention strategies that utilize cognitive-motor tools.

The history of physical activity and sport dates to ancient times, when it was not only a means of preparation for military readiness but also had religious and educational purposes. The relationship between physical activity and good health goes back centuries accepted, as formulated by Hippocrates 2500years ago. In Greek antiquity, gymnastike” highlighted physical beauty in harmony with the soul and spirit, perfecting simultaneously an individuals personality and health. Lifelong exercise administered by gymnasts was applied to strengthen weak limbs, and contributed to the healing of patients when applied in the healthcare facilities of the time, as mentioned in Asclepieia. Nowadays, the idea that exercise is medicine has two components: (1) every patients treatment or rehabilitation plan should include physical activity and exercise training, but the prescription must be tailored to the patients specific needs and (2) doctors challenge lies in implementing this medical prescription for adapted physical activity (APA), which encourages patients to lead more active lives.

Ataxia affects the neurological system by impairing balance and motor coordination, which results in significant sensorimotor impairment in both children and adults. Physical activity (PA) has been linked to changes in the structure and functionality of the brain as well as effects on brain plasticity, according to numerous experimental and clinical studies. PA can help with concerns with standing and walking, fine and gross motor function regulation, and muscular tone. This chapter discusses the effects of various training programs on people with ataxia. Exercises that target balance, coordination, and muscular strength include: a) physical activity; b) treadmill training; c) locomotor training on a treadmill; d) trunk stabilization training; e) overground walking for balance; f) intensive exercises; and g) body-controlled videogames (exergames) played at home. Exercise and physical activity must be done frequently to maintain health, wellbeing, and quality of life. The duration and severity of the disease have an impact on how well adapted physical activity works.

This book covers key areas of Medicine and Medical Research. The contributions by the authors include Autonomy, competency, personality, psychoanalytic theory, psychiatry, Early Life Traumatization, Impaired Ego Function, DCD subtypes, motor skills, cognitive processes, hierarchical agglomerative cluster analysis, Vaccine, hesitancy, parents, children, mentality, Health education, oral hygiene, oral health, school children, school health programs, Barriers to Asthma Care, mothers, children, Maternal Perspectives, Cystic, osteolytic, primary hyperparathyroidism, Von Recklinghausen’s Disease, Mimicker in Diagnosis, IMRT, 3D-Brachytherapy, cervical cancer, Dose Distribution Homogeneity, 3D Brachytherapy, Sleep, cardiac autonomic imbalance, treatment, strategy, Sleep Restriction, Obesity, overweight, female adolescents, Knowledge of Health Risk, Alzheimer’s disease (AD), familiar, unfamiliar, music, speech production, Music and Audiobooks Exposure, Diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, insulin resistance, glomerular filtration rate, glucose disposal rate, Kidney biopsy, lymphoma, nephropathy, Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma/Leukemia, Lymphoplasmacytic Lymphomas, Case reports, gunshot wounds, axillary artery – injuries, vascular system injuries, angioplasty, bariatric surgery, Apo A-IV, weight loss, cardiovascular risk factors, HOMA-IR, Gastric Bypass, Tooth bleaching, intracoronal bleaching, non-vital teeth, esthetics, Glioblastoma, MGMT promoter methylation, MGMT gene, Aklylating agents, Temozolomide, Prognosis, Widow’s, peak, hairline, Scalp-hair Anomaly, Shoulder, overuse injuries, treatment, Sports Person etc. This book contains various materials suitable for students, researchers and academicians in the field of Medicine and Medical Research.