Diagnosis

Diagnosing DCD in children or adults

A definite diagnosis of DCD usually does not happen until a child reaches 4 years or older. This is because children develop at different rates so it is difficult to assess at a very early age. However, it is equally important for children to receive treatment shortly after diagnosis as early treatment will have the best results for improvement in quality of life.

If you suspect that you or your child has DCD, it is important to firstly approach your paediatrician or doctor to ensure that there are no other conditions affecting the brain or nervous system (neurological conditions) which may be causing the symptoms.

Doctors will usually refer you or your child to an occupational therapist or physiotherapist. The therapist will perform standardised assessments to gauge a number of things including gross motor skills, fine motor skills, handwriting skills and sensory issues. For children, the assessment is then scored and compared with normal range scores for children of the same age.

Diagnosis

For a diagnosis of DCD, a child will usually need to meet all of the following criteria:

Their mental ability is within the normal range for their age
Their motor skills are significantly below the level expected of their age and experience
Their lack of motor skills cannot otherwise be explained by a long term general learning disability or medical condition