Motor performance is better than normal in preschool children with cystic fibrosis.

The aim of the present study was to assess the motor performance in preschool children with a reliable and valid test battery developed to identify motor dysfunction and normal motor development in children aged from 4 to 6 years. Several aspects of motor performance were examined in 29 preschool children with cystic fibrosis (CF) age range 4-6 years (mean 5.2 +/- 0.8 years), FEV(1) 97.2 +/- 15.3pred and compared to with 22 healthy children of the same age 5.5 +/- 0.8 years. All children performed the "Motoriktest fuer 4-6jaehrige Kinder" (MOT) assessing seven different aspects of motor performance. Compared to healthy children, test score "Motor Quotient" (MQ) as the mean of all test items was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in children with CF (108.1 +/- 16 vs. 93.5 +/- 17.9). In both groups, the MQ can be classified as normal. Children with CF scored higher in MOT subtests "Agility and Coordination" (P < 0.05) and "Balance" (P < 0.01) than healthy children but not in the other subtests. We speculate that chest physiotherapy in preschool children with CF may have an effect on motor performance in general and in some aspects of motor performance.