They also have difficulty generalizing their motor learning from one situation to another (e.g., a child approaching a sidewalk curb has to figure out that stepping up onto the sidewalk is similar to climbing stairs). Children with DCD often don’t recognize the similarities of particular motor tasks, and this leads to difficulties transferring their motor learning from one activity to another (e.g., catching a large ball and then catching a small ball). Because motor skills do not become automatic for these children, they must devote extra effort and attention to complete motor tasks, even those that have been previously learned. The characteristics described above have led researchers to believe that the coordination difficulties of children with DCD may lie not only in learning how to move their bodies but also in learning how to use strategies to problem-solve solutions to motor tasks. As a result, they don’t easily recognize movement errors, learn from their mistakes, or correct their movements. Typically, children with DCD depend on feedback and are not able to predict the outcome of their movements. Children with DCD perform inconsistently from one occasion to the next, and they often perform motor skills in the same way over and over again, even when they are unsuccessful. They tend to use their vision more than other types of feedback to guide their movements and, because of this, their motor skills may be more like those of younger children. One thing we know for certain is that children with DCD have difficulty learning new motor skills. Although we do not know for sure what causes motor coordination problems, research suggests that children can experience difficulties in learning how to plan, organize, perform, and/or modify their movements. There is no simple answer to this question since coordination difficulties can arise for many reasons. In this booklet, the coordination difficulties that are discussed are those that are most often seen in children with developmental coordination disorder. DCD can exist on its own or it may be present in a child who also has learning disabilities, speech/language difficulties, and/or attention deficit disorder. DCD is believed to affect 5-6% of school-aged children and tends to occur more frequently in boys. The characteristics of children with DCD, however, are usually noticed first by those closest to the child because the motor difficulties interfere with academic achievement and/or with activities of daily living (e.g., dressing, playground skills, handwriting, gym activities). A diagnosis can be made by a medical doctor who will ensure: 1) that the movement problems are not due to any other known physical, neurological, or behavioural disorders and, 2) whether more than one disorder may be present. What is Developmental Coordination Disorder?ĭevelopmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) occurs when a delay in the development of motor skills, or difficulty coordinating movements, results in a child being unable to perform everyday tasks. This booklet was developed with support from the Canadian Occupational Therapy Foundation and funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research to facilitate early identification of children with DCD. The authors gratefully acknowledge the many parents, children, educators, colleagues, students, and service providers who have contributed their knowledge and expertise to the development of this booklet. An occupational therapist and/or a physiotherapist may wish to highlight or add specific techniques to personalize it for a particular child/student. This booklet describes some of the more common techniques and practical suggestions that may be used. As a result, particular techniques and strategies may be more appropriate for one child than another. Management of children with DCD varies greatly due to these differences. Some children only experience coordination difficulties while others have associated learning, speech/language, and attention problems. Based on research evidence, the purpose of this booklet is to describe common characteristics of children with motor coordination difficulties, to provide guidance for seeking a referral to a physician, to describe the role of occupational therapists and physiotherapists who may work with these children, and to suggest modifications that may improve the ability of children to function at home, at school, and in the community. This booklet is designed to help parents and educators identify and manage school-aged children who are demonstrating movement problems typical of children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD).
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