Motor skill interventions can influence the motor and cognitive functions in individuals with developmental disabilities. Madison Edwards, a senior majoring in Biomedical Sciences, worked with the iCanShine organization to see how learning to ride a bike can help individuals. Madison conducted her Undergraduate Research Fellowship this summer under the mentorship of Dr. Melissa Pangelinan in the College of Education.
Working with children and teens ages 9-17, Madison and her team assessed the teens’ cognitive and motor skills both before and after the bicycle program. Cognitive skills were assessed using iPad games to test memory, attention span, and executive function.
The kids were taught to ride in a 5-day period by using a modified bike, which allowed them to go to two wheels by themselves. According to Madison, “With the use of the training equipment, we were able to get 10 of the 12 participants to complete the bike program.”
Madison is now using the data from the cognitive and motor tests to look for improvements after the bike skill was learned by the children and teens. These results can hopefully improve the current assessment techniques that are being used for individuals with develop mental disabilities.
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