Aims: To examine the associations of motor co-ordination in Kerala, South India.
Methods: The Modified Oseretsky Test of motor co-ordination was administered to 1155 representative children during a door-to-door survey of 8-12 year olds. Reading, vocabulary and visuospatial reasoning were measured, as were height and weight. Information on medical history, socio-demographic background and behaviour was systematically collected.
Results: Age was the major association of motor incoordination indicating the importance of maturation. Behaviour, vocabulary, visuospatial reasoning, material deprivation, perinatal complications, chronic physical symptoms and occupational status of the father were also independently associated with motor co-ordination. Using sibling pairs, evidence of familial aggregation of motor co-ordination was found.