It is estimated that 20-25% of pediatric brain tumours are located
in the cerebellum, and it is thought that incidence is increased in
preschool children, particularly boys (e.g. Duffner, Cohen, Myers, &
Heise, 1986). Duffner noted that acquisition of cerebellar tumours early
in childhood is typically associated with a more adverse neurodevelopmental
outcome, particularly in intellectual functioning, memory, attention,
motor coordination and visuo-spatial skills. The preschool years are
a period during which the brain undergoes rapid growth and development,
involving the acquisition of skills, completion of myelination, and
development of cortical areas responsible for higher cognitive functioning.
Disruption to the development of the nervous system during the preschool
age is likely to have long lasting consequences on cognitive and motor
development (Spreen et al., 1984).
Furthermore, recent research has identified a link between the cerebellum
and cognitive and motor functioning, and a deficit to cerebellar functioning
has been implicated in a variety of developmental disorders, such as
attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder and developmental coordination
disorder (Diamond, 2000).
This study will aim to chart the progression of typically developing
children measuring the acquisition of cognitive and motor skills. The
subcomponents of these skills, as broken down by subtests on the standardised
tests, will be correlated to establish which areas of cognitive and
motor development appear to be related. The data will be analysed with
the intention of developing a test to measure motor and cognitive deficits
in cerebellar patients that is suitable for testing children prior to
tumour resection.
