FEATURES OF MOTOR SKILLS DEVELOPMENT IN PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN WITH HEALTH DISORDERS
Main Article Content
Abstract
According to statistical data, the health status of the younger generation in Ukraine has significantly deteriorated. Over the past decade, the prevalence of chronic diseases among children has increased 2.87 times. During the last five years, the number of students with special educational needs in inclusive classes of general secondary education institutions has grown 1.9 times, which has also increased the demand for inclusive classes, the number of which has risen 1.8 times. Specialists in the field of healthcare are also seriously concerned about the growing incidence of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) among children. As of 2025, a total of 20,936 children in Ukraine have been officially diagnosed with autism. At the same time, it is well known that physical activity plays an important role in maintaining health, as it not only improves motor skills but also positively influences the overall physical, mental, social, and emotional well-being of a child.
The aim of the study was to examine the development of motor skills in primary school children with varying health conditions (including autism spectrum disorders) as a basis for correcting their motor activity.
Research methods included analysis and generalization, medical-biological methods, pedagogical approaches (motor skills testing), and mathematical processing. The somatic health status of younger schoolchildren was assessed using data extracted from their medical records. Physical development was evaluated through anthropometric indicators such as body height, body weight, and chest circumference. Based on these data, the achieved level and harmony of physical development were determined according to classical standard methods. To assess children’s motor skills development, the study measured reaction speed, coordination abilities, balance development, speed-strength qualities, flexibility, and muscular endurance. Testing results served as the basis for comparative analysis of three groups: conditionally healthy children, children with chronic somatic diseases, and children with autism spectrum disorders. Student’s t-test was used to determine the significance of differences between indicators.
Results. Although children with chronic illnesses or autism spectrum disorders show nearly the same physical development and proportionality as healthy peers, their functional abilities differ in a way that complicates full mastery of certain motor skills:
Coordination accuracy and reaction speed are among the most vulnerable motor skills in children with autism spectrum disorders, as indicated by lower performance results in tasks requiring concentration and controlled movements compared to healthy children (p<0.05 – p<0.01).
The presence of chronic diseases may hinder or reduce the body's ability to adapt to intensive speed-strength loads, which is reflected in lower test results compared to their healthy peers (p<0.05).
Conclusion. Certain functional differences in the bodies of children with health disorders may slow down the acquisition of specific motor skills, which should be considered when planning the content, forms, and methods of physical education for younger schoolchildren. Additionally, when evaluating students’ performance in physical education, teachers should take into account the weaker aspects of motor skills in children with developmental peculiarities or chronic conditions
Article Details
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
AGREEMENT ABOUT TRANSMISSION OF COPYRIGHT
I, the author of the article / We, the authors of the manuscript _______________________________________________________________________
in case of its acceptance for publication, we transfer the following rights to the founders and editorial boards of the scientific publication "Cherkasy University Bulletin: Biological Sciences Series":
1. Publication of this article in Ukrainian (English) and distribution of its printed version.
2. Dissemination of the electronic version of the article through any electronic means (placing on the official journal web site, in electronic databases, repositories, etc.). At the same time we reserve the right without consent of the editorial board and the founders:
1. Use the materials of the article in whole or in part for educational purposes.
2. To use the materials of the article in whole or in part for writing your own theses.
3. Use article materials to prepare Summarys, conference reports, and oral presentations.
4. Post electronic copies of the article (including the final electronic version downloaded from the journal's official website) to:
a. personal web-pecypcax of all authors (web sites, web pages, blogs, etc.);
b. web-pecypcax of the institutions where the authors work (including electronic institutional repositories);
with. non-profit, open-source web-pecypcax (such as arXiv.org).
With this agreement, we also certify that the submitted manuscript meets the following criteria:
1. Does not contain calls for violence, incitement of racial or ethnic enmity, which are disturbing, threatening, shameful, libelous, cruel, indecent, vulgar, etc.
2. Does not infringe the copyrights and intellectual property rights of others or organizations; contains all the references to the cited authors and / or publications envisaged by applicable copyright law, as well as the results and facts used in the article by other authors or organizations.
3. It has not been previously published in other publishers and has not been published in other publications.
4. Does not include materials that are not subject to publication in the open press, in accordance with applicable law.
____________________ ___________________
First name, Last name, signature of the author
"___" __________ 20__
References
Дубовик К. В., & Марценковський І. А. (2019). Порушення рухових функцій при розладах аутистичного спектра у дітей. Клінічна типологія та терапія. НейроNews: Психоневрологія і нейропсихіатрія, 3(104), 22-28.
Карпінська Т.Г., Грабовська Т.В., Середа С.В., Короткий В.В. (2021). Показники стану здоров’я сучасних підлітків, як одна із складових здоров’я населення держави. Укр. мед. часопис, 3 (143) – V/VI, 84-86. https://doi.org/10.32471/umj.1680-3051.143.209478.
Котко Д.М., Гончарук Н.Л., Шматова О.О., Шевцов С.М. (2023). Рухова активність як одна з найпоширеніших форм покращення здоров’я різних груп населення. Науковий часопис НПУ імені М.П. Драгоманова. 9(169), 74-80. https://doi.org/10.31392/NPU-nc.series15.2023.9(169).16
Круцевич Т, Червотока М. (2019). Стан захворюваності школярів у регіонах України протягом навчання в школі. Теорія і методика фізичного виховання і спорту, 2, 57-62 https://doi.org/10.32652/tmfvs.2019.2.57-62
Лісневська, Н.В. (2025). Аналіз стану здоров’я дітей дошкільного віку та шляхи його збереження і зміцнення в умовах закладу дошкільної освіти. Проблеми сучасних трансформацій. Серія: педагогіка та психологія, (8). https://doi.org/10.54929/2786-9199-2025-8-02-01
Ляхова, І., & Баришников, А. (2023). Особливості психомоторного розвитку дітей із розладами спектру аутизму як основа для корекції їх рухової діяльності. Науковий часопис Українського державного університету імені Михайла Драгоманова. Серія 15, 3К(162), 233-238. https://doi.org/10.31392/NPU-nc.series15.2023.3K(162).47
МОН України. Оперативні статистичні дані (2025). URL: https://mon.gov.ua/osvita-2/inklyuzivne-navchannya/statistichni-dani Доступ 08.12.25
Носко М.О., Носовець Н.М., Носко Ю.М., Макогончук Н.В., Грищенко С.В. (2024). Медичні та соціальні аспекти здоров’язбереження підлітків віком 11-14 років шляхом удосконалення рухової активності. Сучасна педіатрія. Україна. 5(141), 80-88. https://doi.org/10.15574/SP.2024.5(141).8088.
Укрінформ. Українське національне інформаційне агентство URL: https://www.ukrinform.ua/rubric-health/3769403-v-ukraini-na-obliku-ponad-20-tisac-ditej-z-autizmom.html?fbclid=IwAR1n70f808PAuxZK6dFkgyNvAcj3o5M_exrZaXo3mBT3QHyiU0WL3hKFeTE Доступ 08.12.25
Dawson G., Franz L., Brandsen S. (2022). At a crossroads – reconsidering the goals of autism early behavioral intervention from a neurodiversity perspective. JAMA Pediatrics, 176(9), 839–840. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2022.2299
Dwyer P. (2022). The neurodiversity approach(es): What are they and what do they mean for researchers? Human Development, 66(2), 73–92. https://doi.org/10.1159/000523723
Elias R., Lord C. (2022). Diagnostic stability in individuals with autism spectrum disorder: Insights from a longitudinal follow-up study. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 63(9), 973–983. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.13551
World Health Organization. Global report on children with developmental disabilities; URL: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240080232 Доступ 08.12.25
Huseyin O. (2019). The impact of sport activities on basic motor skills of children with autism. Pedagogics, psychology, medical-biological problems of physical training and sports.;23(3), 138-44. https://doi.org/10.15561/18189172.2019.0305
Mache, M.A., & Todd, T.A. (2016). Gross motor skills are related to postural stability and age in children with autism spectrum disorder. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 23, 179-187. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rasd.2016.01.001
Ohara R., Kanejima Y., Kitamura M.P., Izawa K. (2019). Association between social skills and motor skills in individuals with autism spectrum disorder: a systematic review. European journal of investigation in health, psychology and education. 10, 276–96. https://doi.org/10.3390/ejihpe10010022
Pan, C.‑Y., & Frey, G. C. (2020). Relationships between physical activity intensity, sleep, and mood in youth with autism spectrum disorder. Autism, 24(5), 1234–1242. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-006-0101-6.
Yinhua Lі, et al. (2023). The Effects of Physical Activity Interventions in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: а Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis. Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40489-023-00418-x.