Key points are not available for this paper at this time.
AIM: To examine associations between motor skills and cognitive development from birth to 5 years in typically developing children and children diagnosed with or at high risk of cerebral palsy (CP). METHOD: Following prospective registration, five databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, PsycINFO, and Cochrane) were searched to identify studies reporting motor and cognitive outcomes in children aged from birth to 5 years. Findings were synthesized using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. RESULTS: Thirty-three studies met the inclusion criteria. In typically developing children, motor skills consistently showed positive associations with later cognitive abilities, with fine motor skills having particularly strong predictive value. Among children with or at high risk of CP, developmental trajectories were more variable, yet motor delays were frequently associated with poorer cognitive performance. INTERPRETATION: Early motor proficiency is consistently associated with cognitive outcomes during early childhood. Motor impairments among children with or at high risk for CP may constrain cognitive development. Future research should investigate underlying mechanisms and explore integrated interventions targeting motor and cognitive domains.
Baduni et al. (Tue,) studied this question.