A more robust predictor of ideomotor dyspraxia: study on an alternative scoring method of the Bergès–Lézineʹs Imitation of Gestures test

Use of the traditional Bergès–Lézine standardization [Test dʹimitation de gestes (1963).] allowed us to confirm praxic disorders in children who are encountering obvious motor difficulties. However, in comparison to other neuropsychological assessments carried out on these children, it does not enable us to precociously pinpoint disorders in praxic organization. By means of a newly evaluated method (1997) developed on the basis of the Bergès–Lézine Imitation of Gestures test (1963), we retroactively assessed a group of children (N=10) who had been observed in a longitudinal study at the age of 3–5 years and at 7–8 years and assessed with the Bergès–Lézine version (1963) of the Imitation of Gestures test. Our revised test (1997) takes into account the quantitative factor of success, as well as the qualitative factor of movement planning. It facilitates the early detection of motor organization disorders, in correlation with other neuropsychological assessments carried out on these children. Comparative clinical findings with the same group of children tested using the Bergès–Lézine version and ours indicate that our version detects, more robustly, children encountering difficulties resulting from ideomotor dyspraxia, not identified by the Bergès–Lézine test (1963). Our alternative scoring method of Bergès–Lézineʹs test contributes largely to early detection of instrumental difficulties in children. Additionally, its predictive capacity makes it possible to apprehend disorders in distal and digital neuromotor functions.