What is DCD: Needs & Requirements of CYPF in Newham, Assessments and Evidenced Based Intervention

Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is a common disorder affecting gross and/or fine motor co-ordination in children and adults and occurs across a rage of intellectual abilities. Individuals may vary in how their difficulties present; these may change over time depending on environmental demands and life experiences.

The diagnosis of DCD is usually made by a pediatrician, often in collaboration with an occupational therapist. Generally, the pediatrician is more involved in the diagnosis and the occupational therapist is involved in both diagnosis and treatment. To substantiate the motor difficulties associated with the definition of DCD, an appropriate, valid, reliable and standardized motor test (norm-referenced) should be used. Numerous tests measure motor functioning, but only a few have been designed and tested for the assessment of the diagnosis of DCD such as the Movement Assessment Battery for Children - 3 (ABC) and Bruininks – Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency Second Edition(BOT-2). The results of the standardized assessment/s should be accompanied with clinical findings of gross motor, fine motor and evaluation of function (self-care, school productivity and leisure) to enable a holistic assessment process.

Children with Developmental Co-ordination Disorder (DCD) meeting the DSM V diagnostic criteria would usually need intervention. The indications for intervention are essentially dependent on criterion II: the influence of the diagnosis on activities of daily living such as self-care, school productivity, leisure, play and other daily physical activities. The approaches to intervention for DCD have been grouped into two broad areas: process – orientated approach which uses activity to target the underlying performance problems and task-orientated approach which uses activity to address the performance issue itself.