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What is DCD?
What is DCD?
Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is a motor skills disorder that affects 5-6 % of all school-aged children. The ratio of boys to girls varies from 2:1 to 5:1, depending on the group studied. DCD occurs when a delay in the development of motor skills, or difficulty coordinating movements, results in a child being unable to perform common, everyday tasks. By definition, children with DCD do not have an identifiable medical or neurological condition that explains their coordination problems.
Frequently described as "clumsy" or "awkward" by their parents and teachers, children with DCD have difficulty mastering simple motor activities, such as tying shoes or going down stairs, and are unable to perform age-appropriate academic and self-care tasks. Some children may experience difficulties in a variety of areas while others may have problems only with specific activities. Children with DCD usually have normal or above average intellectual abilities. However, their motor coordination difficulties may impact their academic progress, social integration and emotional development.
DCD is commonly associated with other developmental conditions, including attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), learning disabilities (LD), speech-language delays and emotional and behavioral problems.
Do children with DCD "outgrow" their motor difficulties?
Do children with DCD "outgrow" their motor difficulties?
While it was once thought that children with DCD would simply outgrow their motor difficulties, research tells us that DCD persists throughout adolescence into adulthood. Children with DCD can and do learn to perform certain motor tasks well, however, they have difficulty when faced with new, age-appropriate ones and are at risk for secondary difficulties that result from their motor challenges. Although there is currently no cure for DCD, early intervention and treatment may help to reduce the emotional, physical and social consequences that are often associated with this disorder. For more information, visit www.canchild.ca
https://canchild.ca/en/diagnoses/developmental-coordination-disorder
Click to access strategies by grade/ age:
Strategies include: (MATCH)
Strategies include: (MATCH)
Modify the Task
This involves changing aspects of an activity that are too difficult for the child to perform. The important thing about modifying a task is that the child can still experience success if they make a genuine effort to participate in the activity.
Alter your Expectations
Consider what the ultimate goal of an activity is and then think about where you can be flexible. Allowing extra time or alternate methods of completing a task can make the difference between a lesson learned and an experience of failure for a child with DCD.
Teaching Strategies
Children with poor coordination have full capacity to learn with their peers, but may require a slightly different teaching approach. Investigate alternate teaching strategies designed for children with different learning needs.
Change the Environment
Pay attention to what is going on around a child when he/she is experiencing success or difficulty (i.e. noise, level of activity, visual distractions). Minimize the environmental factors that make performance difficult for the child.
Help by Understanding
Understanding the nature of DCD will help you to problem solve and provide all of your students with rich learning experiences. If children feel supported and understood, they are more likely to attempt new activities and to persevere until they achieve success.
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