Purpose:Research shows an atypical cognitive process in children with nonverbal learningdisorder (NLD) compared to typically developing children, but a wealth of informationindicates that physical activity can influence cognitive processes. However, little is knownabout the effects of perceptual-motor training and its impact on the cognitive process ofchildren with NLD. Thus, the major goals of this study are to compare the executivefunctions (EFs) in children with NLD with typically developing children and then toinvestigate the effect of perceptual-motor training on EFs of children with NLD. Methods:To achieve thefirst goal, 400 typically developing (IQ >80) and NLD children(7–13 years old) were randomly selected in the city of Mashhad, Iran, during the period2017–2018. As for the second goal, 50 children with NLD were randomly assigned to anexperimental or control group. To evaluate executive functions, Delis–Kaplan executivefunction system test was used at the pretest, posttest, and 3-month follow-up. The experi-mental group received the Werner and Reini’s perceptual-motor training program in sixteen45-min sessions (three sessions per week), but the control group did not receive anyintervention. Results:The results showed that children with NLD were significantly weaker than typicallydeveloping children in London Tower Test (t (38) =−4.662, p <0.01), Trail Making Test (t(33.926) =−3.11, p <0.01), Card Sorting Test (t (38) =−3.427, p <0.01), and Stroop ColorTest (t (30.035) =−5.876, p <0.01). The Pilates training had an obvious effect on enhancingthe performance of participants in the experimental group (p<0.001), but similar results werenot observed in the control group. Conclusion:Children with NLD have problems in EFs, but perceptual-motor training canbe used as an effective intervention for these children.

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