Motor skills in children affected by strabismus

Objectives To compare motor skills in patients with infantile strabismus and age and sex-matched control subjects aged 5-11 years. Methods Motor performances were assessed by the Italian version of Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire 2007 (DCDQ) in children with infantile strabismus and age and sex-matched control subjects. Patients affected by specific neurological, cognitive and behavioural disorders were excluded from the study. Results There were 43 patients included in the study, 23 in the strabismus group (14 males, 9 females, mean age 7.5 +/- 2.0 years) and 24 in the control group (14 males and 10 females, mean age 7.2 +/- 1.7 years. The overall DCDQ score was significantly lower in children with strabismus compared with control subjects (58.7 +/- 11.3 vs. 74.2 +/- 1.5; P < 0.001). Children with strabismus and no stereopsis showed a lower DCDQ score compared with those with normal stereopsis (50.8 +/- 9.5 vs. 67.3 +/- 4.8; P < 0.001). Conclusion Motor skills are reduced in children with strabismus compared with control subjects. Strabismus and lack of binocular vision are factors potentially contributing to developmental coordination disorder.