AN OVERVIEW OF

DCD

Developmental Coordination Disorder (“DCD”) is also known as Dyspraxia.

In Hong Kong, a study by The Education University of Hong Kong showed that nearly one in ten (10%) children have DCD.

What is DCD ？

In order for a person to do anything, the brain must go through the following process:

It must form an idea of what it would like to do
It must form a plan of how to perform the action
It must execute the plan

Those with DCD will have problems with two of the above three steps. This causes them to be unco-ordinated in movement, speech or thought.

What is DCD NOT?

DCD does NOT affect intelligence. It may cause problems with learning and expression, but it does not affect how smart a person naturally is. In fact, many people with DCD find that their contributions are especially valued because they think of things differently and are able to bring creative solutions to problems.

It also does NOT prevent a person from learning new skills. However, those with DCD will require more time and effort to learn such skills compared to their peers.

What Causes DCD?

It is often described as a delay in the development of the brain. Scientists think that it is caused when messages sent from the brain to muscles are interrupted. The nerve cells that control muscles (called motor neurons) are not able to form proper connections and, as a result, the brain takes much longer to process instructions.

Research indicate some risk factors that increase the likelihood of a child having DCD:

Premature birth before 37 weeks of pregnancy
Low birth weight
Family history of DCD
Mother taking drugs or alcohol during pregnancy