‘Developmental dyspraxia’, also known as ‘developmental coordination disorder’ (DCD), describes a condition of impaired motor function. Children with the disorder are impacted to the extent that activities of daily living are impaired. It is generally thought that there will be at least one child with DCD in each class at school. Therefore, it is important that GPs are aware of how DCD presents and the type of challenges that children with the condition face. It is also useful to know some practical strategies that can be used to make the environment easier for children with DCD.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Afasic Scotland/Dyspraxia Foundation in Scotland. Understanding and supporting children affected by dyspraxia DCD in early years. Guidance for teachers. Accessed via afasicscotland.org.uk/Afasic%20Dysprax.pdf [date last accessed 09.09.2010].
2.
American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th edition). (2000) text revision. American Psychiatric Association ISBN 0890420246.
3.
BarnhartR.DavenportM.EppsS.NordquistV.Developmental coordination disorder. Physical Therapy (2003) 83: p. 722–31.
4.
CairneyJ.What should we do to help children with DCD. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology (2008) 50: p. 556.
5.
CampbellS.LindenD.PalisanoR.Physical therapy for children (3rd edition). (2006) Saunders pp. 564. ISBN 10–0-7216–0378-5.
EldersV.SheehanS.WilsonA.LevesleyM.BhaktaB.Mon-WilliamsM.Head-torso-hand coordination in children with and without developmental coordination disorder. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology (2010) 52: p. 238–43.
GibbsJ.AppletonJ.AppletonR.Dyspraxia or developmental coordination disorder? Unravelling the enigma. Archives of Disease in Childhood (2007) 92: p. 534–9.
10.
LingamR.HuntL.GoldingJ.JongmansM.EmondA.Prevalence of developmental coordination disorder using the DSM-IV at 7 years of age: a UK population based study. Pediatrics (2009) 123: p. e693–700.
SugdenD.Current approaches to intervention in children with developmental coordination disorder. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology (2007) 49: p. 467–71.
14.
WangT.TsengM.WilsonB.HuF.Functional performance of children with developmental coordination disorder at home and at school. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology (2009) 51 (10): p. 817–25.
