What is Developmental Coordination Disorder? Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that leads to children having challenges with […]
What is Developmental Coordination Disorder?
Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that leads to children having challenges with gross and fine motor skills. Children with DCD have difficulty coordinating movements, and struggle to complete activities at the same level of their peers.
For example, they may struggle to master simple motor tasks, such as going up and down stairs, doing shoe laces, and self-care tasks. Parents and teachers might note these children are more clumsy and are slower to complete tasks than others. Research has shown 5-6% of school aged children have DCD, however many children with DCD remain undiagnosed. Up to 85% of children with autism and up to 50% of children with ADHD have undiagnosed DCD. DCD significantly affects early development, influencing not only physical abilities but also social, mental, and academic aspects. Research on children with DCD has also identified there are subtle changes in their brain regions responsible for movement. Children with DCD can greatly benefit from physiotherapy treatment, with research demonstrating rehabilitation can help children with DCD improve their motor skills.
How is DCD diagnosed?
In order to be diagnosed with DCD, children must meet 4 diagnostic criteria. These are:
It is very important for health professionals to rule out any other causes of reduced coordination in children, such as cerebral palsy and visual impairments.
Are there any risk factors for DCD?
DCD is more common in males than females. Babies born preterm are also at a higher risk for DCD. As previously mentioned, many children with ADHD and autism also have DCD. Other common co-occurring conditions include learning disabilities and language impairments.
What is the physiotherapist’s role in helping children with DCD?
Physiotherapists are specialised in recognising children who have coordination difficulties. Our comprehensive understanding of children’s development and our thorough assessment process is the first step in helping children with DCD. An important part of this process is completing standardised motor assessments, which compare children’s motor skills with what is expected at that age. For children with DCD, The Movement Assessment Battery for Children is a commonly completed assessment to aid in diagnosis of DCD.
Before beginning treatment for DCD, physiotherapists will always work with children and their parents to identify key movement goals. From here, we can tailor treatment to each child’s unique goals. Physio sessions focus on learning new motor skills and improving existing skills, through exercise and play. Children with DCD struggle with learning new motor skills, as they can’t rely on automatic learning systems like other children. In physio sessions, extra guidance and support are provided to support learning of motor skills, and children build problem solving skills that they can apply to learning other skills outside of sessions. Physio treatment can lead to improved coordination and confidence with many everyday tasks.
References:
Ip, A., Mickelson, E. C. R., & Zwicker, J. G. (2021). Assessment, diagnosis, and management of developmental coordination disorder. Paediatrics & Child Health, 26(6), 375–378. https://doi.org/10.1093/pch/pxab047
Blank, R., Barnett, A. L., Cairney, J., Green, D., Kirby, A., Polatajko, H., Rosenblum, S., Smits‐Engelsman, B., Sugden, D., Wilson, P., & Vinçon, S. (2019). International clinical practice recommendations on the definition, diagnosis, assessment, intervention, and psychosocial aspects of developmental coordination disorder. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, 61(3), 242–285. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/dmcn.14132
Research works podcast on DCD
