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Developmental Co-ordination Disorder (DCD)

Developmental co-ordination disorder (DCD), commonly known as dyspraxia, is a neurodevelopmental condition causing a person to experience difficulties in acquiring and executing motor skills, significantly impacting their daily living activities.  

A motor skill requires co-ordination between the brain, muscles, and senses. It is the ability to use and control muscles to perform specific movements and help us do everyday activities. 

How does it affect my child?

“DCD means I have to work harder to make my brain and my body be friends.”

A child with DCD may experience:

  • Weak motor skills and spatial skills leading to problems moving around, likely bumping into things; often described as awkward or clumsy.
  • Difficulty sitting up or sitting still due to weak core strength, weak proprioception (awareness of where limbs are) and balance.
  • Difficulties running, jumping, skipping, kicking, throwing, catching.
  • Weak writing skills (including handwriting; layout on the page and organising ideas)
  • Weak fine motor movements, poor pencil control resulting in slow handwriting / drawing skills.
  • Difficulty in handling tools generally, eg, scissors, rulers.
  • Oral/ verbal dyspraxia e.g. difficulty in eating, dribbling, speech production, organising thought into spoken words and sentences.
  • Difficulties with the translation of ideas into actions e.g., coming up with an idea, figuring out how to do the idea and then moving the body to complete the idea/task.

Where can I get help for my child?

If you are worried about your child, speak to your GP or another health professional or the SENCO in your child’s school.

What support is there for schools?