What is Developmental Coordination Disorder?
Learn about the signs and symptoms of DCD and how the disorder may impact your child.
What is DCD?
Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), sometimes called dyspraxia, is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition that affects movement and coordination.
Children with DCD struggle with physical activities such as running, catching a ball, or riding a bike. DCD also affects daily activities like brushing teeth, tying shoes, doing up buttons, and using cutlery.
Coordination challenges become most evident during early childhood as children begin to play and learn more complex movements.
DCD affects 1 in 20 children
DCD affects 5-6% of the population but is often undiagnosed. Health and education professionals must be informed about the condition so children can receive the support they need.
Early intervention is vital
DCD is a lifelong condition, and children will continue to experience coordination difficulties into adulthood without the proper support. Early intervention is crucial so children can learn strategies to help with daily life.
Children with DCD are intelligent
DCD affects motor coordination but not cognitive ability. Children with DCD actually demonstrate average to high intelligence, but difficulty with movement may impact progress and achievement at school.
Signs your child may have Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD)
Each child with DCD will face unique challenges. Some may struggle with fine motor tasks like writing, while others find gross motor activities like running or climbing challenging.
DCD is more than just a physical condition. While the disorder primarily affects motor skills, it can have significant impacts on children’s mental, social, and emotional well-being. Understanding your child's specific challenges is key to providing adequate support.
Despite the prevalence of DCD among children, many families struggle to obtain a diagnosis, access accurate information, and find the necessary support. Parents often worry about their child’s future and feel uncertain about the best path forward. We want this to change.
Common symptoms of DCD include:
Movement and coordination
Appearing clumsy or awkward, such as running into things, dropping objects, or tripping frequently
Difficulty with physical movements, such as running, jumping and balancing
Difficulty with small movements like writing, drawing, cutting, or using cutlery
Learning and everyday tasks
Difficulty with activities like dressing, eating, or personal care
Taking longer to complete tasks that require coordination, such as tying shoelaces
Struggling with organisational skills and following multi-step instructions
Social and emotional
Avoiding activities that require movement, such as playground games or sports
Difficulty making friends and/or isolating themselves
Getting tired more quickly than their peers
Expressing frustration or anger as a result of symptoms
Showing reduced confidence in physical activities
Still asking yourself “What is DCD?” You can learn more about DCD symptoms in Child Development and Rehabilitation InfoSource’s “DCD Assessment Information Sheet”.
Impacts of DCD on children’s wellbeing
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EDUCATION
Listening to and remembering instructions and organising class materials can be challenging for children with DCD. Writing tasks can take longer due to difficulty with small hand movements. Children may avoid activities they find difficult, impacting their engagement in learning. These challenges can affect academic performance.
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PHYSICAL HEALTH
As DCD primarily affects movement and coordination, children with DCD may avoid physical activities, like active play and sports. Children with DCD also get tired more quickly than their peers, which leads to reduced participation.
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SOCIAL BELONGING
Active play is how children socialise, develop friendships and feel a sense of belonging to their community. Children who don't feel confident enough to participate in games and engage with their peers can feel excluded and may get bullied, which can negatively affect their mental health.
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MENTAL HEALTH
Struggling with activities their peers find easy can make children anxious and decrease their self-esteem and confidence. Feeling different or falling behind can contribute to anxiety. Children can socially withdraw and experience mental health challenges if proper support isn't in place.
You can learn more about the impacts of DCD in DCD Australia’s “Impact for DCD” report”.
Getting a DCD diagnosis
Are you concerned your child may have Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD)?
Recognising the signs early is essential in providing them with the support they need to develop crucial life skills and avoid social and emotional impacts.
We’re here to guide you through DCD diagnosis and early intervention.
Raising awareness and advocating for better support
Only through awareness of DCD and its impacts on our children can we advocate for meaningful change. We focus our actions on helping kids achieve their highest potential.
We raise awareness by making research accessible and building a community of compassionate parents who share information and support each other.
AWARENESS
DCD Kids advocates for more awareness of DCD in schools and the wider community and helps educators and coaches understand how to help children with DCD thrive.
ADVOCACY
We take action by partnering with researchers and contributing to evidence-based studies. DCD Kids looks for opportunities to share our message.
ACTION
We celebrate what our advocacy achieves and the inclusive community we’re creating. We share what our resilient children achieve.
ACHIEVEMENT
Learn more about DCD
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DCD AUSTRALIA
A not-for-profit working to improve the lives of children, adults and families affected by DCD, with accessible research.
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UNDERSTOOD
Easy-to-read articles on DCD and how it impacts children and short video tutorials to help kids with everyday motor tasks.
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CANCHILD
Online workshops and helpful DCD resources to share with educators, coaches and therapists to grow awareness.
FAQS
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The causes of DCD are not fully understood. It’s believed to be connected to brain development. Research suggests a strong genetic component, with factors like pregnancy or birth complications also linked to the condition. While DCD may occur alone, it often coexists with other diagnoses such as speech disorders, sensory processing disorders, autism spectrum disorder, and ADHD.
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Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) and dyspraxia are often used interchangeably, which gets confusing. Dyspraxia isn’t an official diagnostic term and has no consistent definition. In other words, dyspraxia will be described differently depending on where you get your information. DCD is an official diagnostic term in international manuals with definitive criteria. At DCD Kids, we use DCD.
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Yes, DCD can impact a child's life beyond physical movement. Children with DCD may participate less in sports and games, leading to social isolation and an increased risk of being bullied. DCD can impact learning, as children may struggle with activities at school. You can learn more about the impacts of DCD in DCD Australia’s “Impact for DCD” report. It’s important to remember that despite the challenges children with DCD face, they’re also incredibly gifted. Children with DCD are often empathetic, creative, and adaptable. These qualities should be nurtured and celebrated!
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DCD is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition. Children will not “grow out” of DCD, but with the proper support, children can learn strategies to manage their challenges and live successful and independent lives.
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Absolutely! While team sports might be challenging, there are many ways for children with DCD to stay active. Many children with DCD participate in less competitive sports or independent training, where they can go at their own pace, e.g. swimming, martial arts, hiking. It depends on your child’s interests. It may take some time to find the right physical activity. The most important thing is to keep lines of communication open so you know what your child is interested in and what they’re enjoying.
Stay informed and get support
Get the latest DCD research and actionable strategies to support your child. Join our community of compassionate parents!