The Effect of a Combination of Neurodevelopmental Treatment and Core Stability Exercise on Gross Motor Skills in Children with Developmental Delay
Keywords:
Developmental Delay; Gross Motor Skills; Neurodevelopmental Treatment; Core Stability Exercise; Motor DevelopmentAbstract
This study aimed to determine the effect of a combined Neurodevelopmental Treatment (NDT) and Core Stability Exercise (CSE) program on gross motor function in children with Developmental Delay at Kids Care Clinic, Mataram. A quantitative pre-experimental study with a one-group pretest–posttest design was conducted over an eight-week intervention period (October–December 2025). Seventeen children aged 1–5 years who met the inclusion criteria were recruited using purposive sampling. Gross motor ability was assessed before and after the intervention using the Gross Motor Function Measure-88 (GMFM-88). The intervention consisted of structured and individualized NDT and CSE sessions delivered twice weekly, with a total of 16 sessions. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the Shapiro–Wilk normality test, and a paired sample t-test. The results demonstrated a significant improvement in gross motor function following the intervention, with the mean GMFM-88 score increasing from 56.84 ± 20.07 at baseline to 63.39 ± 19.10 after treatment, yielding a mean difference of 6.53 ± 2.93 (p < 0.001). These findings indicate that the combination of NDT and CSE has a statistically significant positive effect on gross motor performance in children with Developmental Delay. The results support the application of a multimodal physiotherapy approach in pediatric rehabilitation settings and suggest potential benefits for clinical practice. Further research using randomized controlled designs with larger samples and longer follow-up periods is recommended to strengthen evidence and improve generalizability.
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