A rigorous investigation of functional collectives of musculo-skeletal articulators is lacking in DCD literature, in spite of powerful empirical arguments suggesting that they represent a critical unit of control (e.g., coordinative structure theory). Thus, the purpose of this dissertation was to examine how children with and without DCD coordinate and control their actions in a multi-degrees of freedom task, such as ball catching. The first study focused on the development of a protocol and qualitative measures capable of examining ball catching performance in children of varying skill levels. The second study involved a replication of the previously devised protocol with a larger group of individuals with and without DCD. The third phase involved a more in-depth analysis of spatial and temporal aspects of movement coordination and control using kinematics. Typically developing boys effectively coordinated and controlled their actions regardless of the task constraints. This confirms that by 10-11 years of age ball catching, and the underlying perceptual-motor mechanisms, are well developed. The analysis of the emerging tendencies showed that they coupled and decoupled the existing spatio-temporal coordinative relations depending on the task constraints, and biomechanical properties of the relevant elements involved. This supports the notion that optimal movement coordination reflects the ability to re-organize the relevant coordinative structures, given the existing constraints.

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M.Sc. (Physiotherapy), Faculty of Haelth Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, 2008. / Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) are a heterogeneous group who have a marked impairment in the performance of functional motor skills. DCD affects 5-8 % of children in the mainstream educational system, with twice as many boys than girls being affected. DCD often co-occurs with other developmental disorders such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Attention Deficit (ADD), severe learning disabilities and reading disabilities and is often associated with educational, social and emotional problems that often persist beyond adolescence. Current research has shown that children with DCD do not outgrow their motor problems and without intervention they do not improve (Zoia et al, 2006; Barnhart et al, 2003; Peters and Wright, 1999). The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of an eight week group gross motor intervention programme on 26 children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) at Forest Town School, which is a special-needs school for children with learning disabilities. The intervention programme consisted of gross motor activities commonly used by the physiotherapists at the school for their DCD groups. The children attended a thirty-minute physiotherapy session a week, in groups of up to 6, for eight weeks. The children’s motor performance was assessed using the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test for Motor Proficiency (BOTMP) pre- intervention, post- intervention and then eight weeks after the intervention had ceased. The children were used as their own controls. The results of the statistical analysis revealed that the mean group gross motor and fine motor scores significantly improved after the intervention. It was found that the gross motor scores improved by a larger percentage than the fine motor, which may be because the intervention consisted purely of gross motor activities. The fine motor scores also significantly improved, implying that there was a transfer or generalisation of skills to the fine motor tasks. The improvement in the motor performance was found to be maintained eight weeks after the intervention was stopped. It was concluded in the study that the eight week group physiotherapy programme at Forest Town School improved the motor skills of children with DCD and learning difficulties. Physiotherapy in a small group may therefore be a cost effective solution for the treatment of children with DCD in government-funded schools and hospitals that have a limited number of physiotherapists available to treat these children.

O presente estudo investigou as mudanças relacionadas à idade nos ajustes posturais compensatórios em crianças com e sem Desordem Coordenativa Desenvolvimental (DCD). Os ajustes posturais compensatórios foram investigados em 105 crianças (5-12 anos de idade) que foram selecionadas a partir de 538 crianças no sul do Brasil. As crianças com DCD foram definidas como aquelas com escores abaixo do 5º percentil no Teste Movement ABC. As crianças com desenvolvimento típico (DT) foram aquelas cujos escores no teste foram acima do 30º percentil (52 crianças). Os sujeitos foram solicitados a permanecerem em pé ereto sobre uma plataforma de força e a executar um movimento rápido alvo direcionado com o membro superior direito. O tempo de movimento e os erros absolutos do movimento do braço e também a amplitude e direção das mudanças do centro de pressão foram mensuradas. O resultado mostrou mudanças relacionadas à idade nos ajustes posturais compensatórios e, tempo de movimento, significativos em ambos os grupos. As crianças com DT mostraram mudanças com a idade significativas sobre a direção e amplitude do centro de pressão (COPy), sugerindo que eles melhoram suas habilidades para ajustar o equilíbrio quando realizando um movimento voluntário do membro superior com a idade, pelo uso do seu feedback. Crianças com DCD mostraram grandes amplitudes médio-laterais e tempo de movimento, quando comparadas com as crianças com DT. Uma correlação forte e positiva foi encontrada entre a amplitude do centro de pressão e o tempo de movimento em crianças com DCD sugerindo que os atrasos no movimento, frequentemente observados na criança com DCD, poderia ser causada por déficits posturais. Nós concluímos que a tendência desenvolvimental dos ajustes posturais compensatórios nas crianças com DCD é semelhante à criança com DT. / The present study investigated age-related changes of compensatory postural adjustments in children with and without Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). Compensatory postural adjustments were investigated in 105 children (5-12 years old) screened from 538 children in the south of Brazil. Children with DCD were defined as those with scores at or below the 5th (53 Children) percentile on Movement ABC Test. Typically developing children (TD) were those whose scores on the test were above the 30th percentile (52 children). Subjects were asked to stand upright and still on the force platform and perform a quick goal movement directed with the right superior limb. Movement time and absolute error of the arm movement and also amplitude and direction changes of the center of pressure were measured. The results showed significant age-related changes in the compensatory postural adjustments and movement time in both groups. TD children showed significant age-related changes on direction and amplitude of center of pressure (COPy), suggesting that they improve their ability to adjust their balance when performing an arm voluntary movements with the age by using their feedback. Children with DCD showed larger medium-lateral amplitudes and movement times as compared with TD children. A positive and well correlation found between center of pressure amplitude and movement time in children with CD suggests that the movements delays, often observed in children with DCD, could be caused by postural deficits. We conclude that the development trend of compensatory postural adjustments in children with DCD is similar to TD children.

O presente estudo investigou as mudanças relacionadas à idade nos ajustes posturais compensatórios em crianças com e sem Desordem Coordenativa Desenvolvimental (DCD). Os ajustes posturais compensatórios foram investigados em 105 crianças (5-12 anos de idade) que foram selecionadas a partir de 538 crianças no sul do Brasil. As crianças com DCD foram definidas como aquelas com escores abaixo do 5º percentil no Teste Movement ABC. As crianças com desenvolvimento típico (DT) foram aquelas cujos escores no teste foram acima do 30º percentil (52 crianças). Os sujeitos foram solicitados a permanecerem em pé ereto sobre uma plataforma de força e a executar um movimento rápido alvo direcionado com o membro superior direito. O tempo de movimento e os erros absolutos do movimento do braço e também a amplitude e direção das mudanças do centro de pressão foram mensuradas. O resultado mostrou mudanças relacionadas à idade nos ajustes posturais compensatórios e, tempo de movimento, significativos em ambos os grupos. As crianças com DT mostraram mudanças com a idade significativas sobre a direção e amplitude do centro de pressão (COPy), sugerindo que eles melhoram suas habilidades para ajustar o equilíbrio quando realizando um movimento voluntário do membro superior com a idade, pelo uso do seu feedback. Crianças com DCD mostraram grandes amplitudes médio-laterais e tempo de movimento, quando comparadas com as crianças com DT. Uma correlação forte e positiva foi encontrada entre a amplitude do centro de pressão e o tempo de movimento em crianças com DCD sugerindo que os atrasos no movimento, frequentemente observados na criança com DCD, poderia ser causada por déficits posturais. Nós concluímos que a tendência desenvolvimental dos ajustes posturais compensatórios nas crianças com DCD é semelhante à criança com DT. / The present study investigated age-related changes of compensatory postural adjustments in children with and without Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). Compensatory postural adjustments were investigated in 105 children (5-12 years old) screened from 538 children in the south of Brazil. Children with DCD were defined as those with scores at or below the 5th (53 Children) percentile on Movement ABC Test. Typically developing children (TD) were those whose scores on the test were above the 30th percentile (52 children). Subjects were asked to stand upright and still on the force platform and perform a quick goal movement directed with the right superior limb. Movement time and absolute error of the arm movement and also amplitude and direction changes of the center of pressure were measured. The results showed significant age-related changes in the compensatory postural adjustments and movement time in both groups. TD children showed significant age-related changes on direction and amplitude of center of pressure (COPy), suggesting that they improve their ability to adjust their balance when performing an arm voluntary movements with the age by using their feedback. Children with DCD showed larger medium-lateral amplitudes and movement times as compared with TD children. A positive and well correlation found between center of pressure amplitude and movement time in children with CD suggests that the movements delays, often observed in children with DCD, could be caused by postural deficits. We conclude that the development trend of compensatory postural adjustments in children with DCD is similar to TD children.

O presente estudo investigou as mudanças relacionadas à idade nos ajustes posturais compensatórios em crianças com e sem Desordem Coordenativa Desenvolvimental (DCD). Os ajustes posturais compensatórios foram investigados em 105 crianças (5-12 anos de idade) que foram selecionadas a partir de 538 crianças no sul do Brasil. As crianças com DCD foram definidas como aquelas com escores abaixo do 5º percentil no Teste Movement ABC. As crianças com desenvolvimento típico (DT) foram aquelas cujos escores no teste foram acima do 30º percentil (52 crianças). Os sujeitos foram solicitados a permanecerem em pé ereto sobre uma plataforma de força e a executar um movimento rápido alvo direcionado com o membro superior direito. O tempo de movimento e os erros absolutos do movimento do braço e também a amplitude e direção das mudanças do centro de pressão foram mensuradas. O resultado mostrou mudanças relacionadas à idade nos ajustes posturais compensatórios e, tempo de movimento, significativos em ambos os grupos. As crianças com DT mostraram mudanças com a idade significativas sobre a direção e amplitude do centro de pressão (COPy), sugerindo que eles melhoram suas habilidades para ajustar o equilíbrio quando realizando um movimento voluntário do membro superior com a idade, pelo uso do seu feedback. Crianças com DCD mostraram grandes amplitudes médio-laterais e tempo de movimento, quando comparadas com as crianças com DT. Uma correlação forte e positiva foi encontrada entre a amplitude do centro de pressão e o tempo de movimento em crianças com DCD sugerindo que os atrasos no movimento, frequentemente observados na criança com DCD, poderia ser causada por déficits posturais. Nós concluímos que a tendência desenvolvimental dos ajustes posturais compensatórios nas crianças com DCD é semelhante à criança com DT. / The present study investigated age-related changes of compensatory postural adjustments in children with and without Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). Compensatory postural adjustments were investigated in 105 children (5-12 years old) screened from 538 children in the south of Brazil. Children with DCD were defined as those with scores at or below the 5th (53 Children) percentile on Movement ABC Test. Typically developing children (TD) were those whose scores on the test were above the 30th percentile (52 children). Subjects were asked to stand upright and still on the force platform and perform a quick goal movement directed with the right superior limb. Movement time and absolute error of the arm movement and also amplitude and direction changes of the center of pressure were measured. The results showed significant age-related changes in the compensatory postural adjustments and movement time in both groups. TD children showed significant age-related changes on direction and amplitude of center of pressure (COPy), suggesting that they improve their ability to adjust their balance when performing an arm voluntary movements with the age by using their feedback. Children with DCD showed larger medium-lateral amplitudes and movement times as compared with TD children. A positive and well correlation found between center of pressure amplitude and movement time in children with CD suggests that the movements delays, often observed in children with DCD, could be caused by postural deficits. We conclude that the development trend of compensatory postural adjustments in children with DCD is similar to TD children.

Several motor problems in ADHD learners are reported, including problems with balance, fine muscle control (Szatmari & Taylor; 1984; Havey & Reid, 2003) and motor planning (Piek et al., 1999; Pless & Corisson, 2000). It seems that overlapping conditions such as DAMP (which is a combination of ADHD and Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD)) display greater connections with motor problems, than when a child displays only ADHD symptoms (Gillberg, 2003; Gibbs et al., 2007). There is also continuing controversy in the research literature as to whether ADHD is in fact remediable and what the most appropriate methods in this regard would be. Behavioural therapy at school and various forms of psychotherapy are reported to be the most popular forms of interventions complementary to medication. It also appears that motor exercise can stimulate the brain in various ways, resulting in improvement in learning and attention (Summerford, 2005). Motor therapy appears to be important, since many ADHD learners display motor difficulties. Motor control problems of learners with ADHD are also neglected during research. The objectives of this study were firstly to determine the nature and extent of coordination related neuro-motor and visual-motor integration deficits of an availability sample of six- to eight-year-old (N=95) learners diagnosed with ADHD in Brakpan, South Africa. A further objective was to determine whether treatment methods, including neuro-motor therapy, pharmacological agents and neuro biofeedback can indeed address neuro-motor problems and ADHD symptoms successfully. A further objective was to determine which of the various treatment programs, including neuro-motor therapy, pharmacological agents and brain conditioning intervention, will be the most effective for the treatment of six- to eight-year-old ADHD learners. The "Disruptive Behaviour Scale" checklist for ADHD (Bester, 2006) was used to identify learners with ADHD. The "Movement Assessment Battery for Learners 2" (MABC), and the “Quick Neurological Screening Test II" (QNST-II) were used to determine the learners’ motor skills, as well as neuro-motor progress. The "Beery Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration" (VMI-IV) was used to examine the learners' visual-motor integration (VMI), visual perception (VP) and motor coordination (MC). "Statistica for Windows 2012" was used for the analysis of the results. One-way Analysis of Variance, independent t-testing and co-variance analysis were used respectively to analyze data related to the abovementioned objectives. A p-value less than or equal to 0.05 was accepted as statistically significant, and effect sizes were calculated to determine the practical significance of the results (d≤0.8). The results of the study showed that the neuro-motor status of the selected six- to eight-year-old ADHD learners (N=95) that had been identified, using the Bester questionnaire, and analyzed by means of the MABC, QNST and VMI, was affected negatively by the condition. Fine motor and hand control skills of learners with ADHD were indeed found to be significantly weaker compared to learners without ADHD, and the fine motor skills of learners with DAMP showed impairment to a greater degree. Neurological and visual-motor integration do not appear to differ between learners with and without ADHD symptoms, although trends of weaker values and significant differences were found in the palm shape recognition, arm-leg extension (muscle tone) subscale and the stimulation of hand and cheek subscale in the ADHD and DAMP groups. For objective 2, the learners were divided into two groups (an ADHD intervention group (n=10) that was subjected to an neuro-motor intervention program of nine weeks, 37 minutes per session, twice a week, and compared to a non-control group consisting of non-ADHD learners (n=18)). When the pre-test differences between the groups are taken into account, it indicated that the ADHD group performed weaker than the control group in the QNST and MABC total, MABC percentile, ball skills and palm shape recognition subtest values, before starting the intervention, but that during the after-test no more differences were observed between the groups. This suggests that the intervention group showed improvement and that their average values draw closer to those of the control group, confirming that the intervention did exert an influence on the deficits that these ADHD learners experienced. The neuro-motor dysfunction of the group of learners with ADHD did not show a significant improvement, although non- significant trends of improvement that occurred in all variables may indeed be attributed to the effect of the intervention. A reduction in the ADHD symptoms and improved visual-motor integration in learners with ADHD were observed, suggesting that the severity of the symptoms of ADHD displayed by this group before the start of the intervention was significantly reduced. For objective 3, the learners (n=95) were divided into five groups (Sharper Brain group (n=25); neuro-motor intervention group (n=21); medication group (n=17); a group with no symptoms of ADHD (n=18), and an ADHD control group (n=14)). The Sharper Brain group showed practical significant lower values than the ADHD control group and the medication group in most of the MABC variables, from which can be deduced that neuro-biofeedback therapy will not improve motor problems. The results obtained in the visual-motor integration subtest showed that the neuro-motor intervention group performed significantly better than the ADHD control group, although the groups did not differ significantly. ADHD symptoms decreased significantly in all groups, most of all in the Sharper Brain group, from which can be deduced that the intervention has possibilities to improve focus and attention. A trend also occurred (p>0.05) that the neuro-motor intervention contributed more to improving visual-motor integration than the other intervention groups, while the medication intervention meaningfully addressed visual perception skills. However, from the results could not be determined whether one group performed better than another group, as no significant differences occurred consistently between groups. The neuro-biofeedback therapy, medication and neuro-motor intervention each had a achieved a unique improvement, and it is recommended that a combination of the various intervention methods should be used in the treatment of ADHD. In summary, the conclusion can be drawn that ADHD learners experience problems with skills related to attention, visual-motor integration and fine motor skills to a greater extent than non-ADHD learners, and that learners diagnosed with DAMP display more serious problems in this regard. The results showed that the various interventions have various treatment effects, but did not have a significant effect on the motor status of the ADHD learners. The conclusion may be drawn that there is no one single method of treatment for learners with ADHD symptoms, but that a combination of treatment methods should rather be implemented. From the study it is clear that ADHD does indeed affect learners negatively, but also that the exposure to focused intervention programs has a positive effect on their neuro-motor skills and ADHD symptoms. / PhD (Human Movement Science), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Increasing pressure is being placed on the dairy industry to reduce nitrogen losses from soil. Nitrification inhibitors are a management strategy that could be implemented on dairy farms to help reduce losses of nitrogen. Nitrification inhibitors work by temporarily inhibiting the microbial conversion of soil ammonium to nitrate. Past trials have indicated that nitrification inhibitors can increase grass production and decrease nitrate leaching; however, little is known about the long-term effects on other soil nitrogen processes such as denitrification. Denitrification rates in soils can be limited by the availability of substrate (carbon and nitrate) and by insufficient anaerobic microsites. The objective of this thesis was to establish whether the nitrification inhibitor, dicyandiamide (DCD), could decrease denitrification rates in dairy farm soils by limiting nitrate availability. A field trial was established at Dexcel's research farm near Hamilton, New Zealand on a Typic Orthic Allophanic Soil. Twenty replicated field plots were established in a paddock, ten plots acted as controls and ten plots had DCD applied to the soil once a month at a rate of 30 kg ha-1 yr-1. Denitrification rates were measured using the acetylene inhibition technique on intact soil cores. Ammonium and nitrate concentration, soil carbon availability, denitrifying enzyme activity and soil pH were measured from soil samples collected monthly. Two further field experiments and one laboratory experiment were undertaken. The distribution of denitrifying enzyme activity with soil depth was measured to ensure that the depth to which denitrification was sampled (15 cm) in the field experiment was sufficient. DCD degradation in the field during 20 days was measured to establish how long the effects of DCD might last. A laboratory study investigated whether DCD would decrease denitrifying enzyme activity in soil, when soil conditions were optimized for denitrification. More than 80% of the denitrifying enzyme activity occurred in the top 15 cm of the soil profile, indicating that the depth to which samples were collected was sufficient. There was no significant decrease in denitrification rates in the field experiment when DCD was added. Nitrification was partially inhibited as shown by a significant increase in soil ammonium (+14%) and a significant decline in soil nitrate (-17%) in the DCD-amended soils compared to the control soils. However, the decline in soil nitrate was not great enough for nitrate to limit denitrification. Nitrate concentrations were consistently greater than 5 mg NO3- kg-1 soil (the proposed threshold for declines in denitrification). The laboratory study supported the field study with DCD having no effect on denitrifying enzyme activity and nitrate concentrations remaining above 5 mg NO3- kg-1 soil. So while DCD reduced nitrification rates and the formation of nitrate, denitrification rates were not limited by nitrate availability. DCD was completely degraded in the soil 19 days after DCD application, with a half-life of 2.9 days, which may be a reason for the minor inhibition of nitrification. Denitrifying enzyme activity, carbon availability and soil pH were all unaffected by the application of DCD.

Several motor problems in ADHD learners are reported, including problems with balance, fine muscle control (Szatmari & Taylor; 1984; Havey & Reid, 2003) and motor planning (Piek et al., 1999; Pless & Corisson, 2000). It seems that overlapping conditions such as DAMP (which is a combination of ADHD and Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD)) display greater connections with motor problems, than when a child displays only ADHD symptoms (Gillberg, 2003; Gibbs et al., 2007). There is also continuing controversy in the research literature as to whether ADHD is in fact remediable and what the most appropriate methods in this regard would be. Behavioural therapy at school and various forms of psychotherapy are reported to be the most popular forms of interventions complementary to medication. It also appears that motor exercise can stimulate the brain in various ways, resulting in improvement in learning and attention (Summerford, 2005). Motor therapy appears to be important, since many ADHD learners display motor difficulties. Motor control problems of learners with ADHD are also neglected during research. The objectives of this study were firstly to determine the nature and extent of coordination related neuro-motor and visual-motor integration deficits of an availability sample of six- to eight-year-old (N=95) learners diagnosed with ADHD in Brakpan, South Africa. A further objective was to determine whether treatment methods, including neuro-motor therapy, pharmacological agents and neuro biofeedback can indeed address neuro-motor problems and ADHD symptoms successfully. A further objective was to determine which of the various treatment programs, including neuro-motor therapy, pharmacological agents and brain conditioning intervention, will be the most effective for the treatment of six- to eight-year-old ADHD learners. The "Disruptive Behaviour Scale" checklist for ADHD (Bester, 2006) was used to identify learners with ADHD. The "Movement Assessment Battery for Learners 2" (MABC), and the “Quick Neurological Screening Test II" (QNST-II) were used to determine the learners’ motor skills, as well as neuro-motor progress. The "Beery Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration" (VMI-IV) was used to examine the learners' visual-motor integration (VMI), visual perception (VP) and motor coordination (MC). "Statistica for Windows 2012" was used for the analysis of the results. One-way Analysis of Variance, independent t-testing and co-variance analysis were used respectively to analyze data related to the abovementioned objectives. A p-value less than or equal to 0.05 was accepted as statistically significant, and effect sizes were calculated to determine the practical significance of the results (d≤0.8). The results of the study showed that the neuro-motor status of the selected six- to eight-year-old ADHD learners (N=95) that had been identified, using the Bester questionnaire, and analyzed by means of the MABC, QNST and VMI, was affected negatively by the condition. Fine motor and hand control skills of learners with ADHD were indeed found to be significantly weaker compared to learners without ADHD, and the fine motor skills of learners with DAMP showed impairment to a greater degree. Neurological and visual-motor integration do not appear to differ between learners with and without ADHD symptoms, although trends of weaker values and significant differences were found in the palm shape recognition, arm-leg extension (muscle tone) subscale and the stimulation of hand and cheek subscale in the ADHD and DAMP groups. For objective 2, the learners were divided into two groups (an ADHD intervention group (n=10) that was subjected to an neuro-motor intervention program of nine weeks, 37 minutes per session, twice a week, and compared to a non-control group consisting of non-ADHD learners (n=18)). When the pre-test differences between the groups are taken into account, it indicated that the ADHD group performed weaker than the control group in the QNST and MABC total, MABC percentile, ball skills and palm shape recognition subtest values, before starting the intervention, but that during the after-test no more differences were observed between the groups. This suggests that the intervention group showed improvement and that their average values draw closer to those of the control group, confirming that the intervention did exert an influence on the deficits that these ADHD learners experienced. The neuro-motor dysfunction of the group of learners with ADHD did not show a significant improvement, although non- significant trends of improvement that occurred in all variables may indeed be attributed to the effect of the intervention. A reduction in the ADHD symptoms and improved visual-motor integration in learners with ADHD were observed, suggesting that the severity of the symptoms of ADHD displayed by this group before the start of the intervention was significantly reduced. For objective 3, the learners (n=95) were divided into five groups (Sharper Brain group (n=25); neuro-motor intervention group (n=21); medication group (n=17); a group with no symptoms of ADHD (n=18), and an ADHD control group (n=14)). The Sharper Brain group showed practical significant lower values than the ADHD control group and the medication group in most of the MABC variables, from which can be deduced that neuro-biofeedback therapy will not improve motor problems. The results obtained in the visual-motor integration subtest showed that the neuro-motor intervention group performed significantly better than the ADHD control group, although the groups did not differ significantly. ADHD symptoms decreased significantly in all groups, most of all in the Sharper Brain group, from which can be deduced that the intervention has possibilities to improve focus and attention. A trend also occurred (p>0.05) that the neuro-motor intervention contributed more to improving visual-motor integration than the other intervention groups, while the medication intervention meaningfully addressed visual perception skills. However, from the results could not be determined whether one group performed better than another group, as no significant differences occurred consistently between groups. The neuro-biofeedback therapy, medication and neuro-motor intervention each had a achieved a unique improvement, and it is recommended that a combination of the various intervention methods should be used in the treatment of ADHD. In summary, the conclusion can be drawn that ADHD learners experience problems with skills related to attention, visual-motor integration and fine motor skills to a greater extent than non-ADHD learners, and that learners diagnosed with DAMP display more serious problems in this regard. The results showed that the various interventions have various treatment effects, but did not have a significant effect on the motor status of the ADHD learners. The conclusion may be drawn that there is no one single method of treatment for learners with ADHD symptoms, but that a combination of treatment methods should rather be implemented. From the study it is clear that ADHD does indeed affect learners negatively, but also that the exposure to focused intervention programs has a positive effect on their neuro-motor skills and ADHD symptoms. / PhD (Human Movement Science), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014