If you suspect your child may have developmental coordination disorder (DCD), often referred to as developmental dyspraxia, it’s important to seek professional advice. Early identification and diagnosis are key to providing the right support and understanding for your child’s needs. Speaking with a general practitioner (GP), health visitor, or special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO) is the first step in exploring your concerns. These professionals can guide you towards the appropriate diagnostic pathway.
Following an initial consultation, your child might be referred to specialists who are equipped to conduct a thorough Developmental Dyspraxia Diagnosis. Several healthcare professionals specialize in this area, ensuring a comprehensive assessment of your child’s motor skills and overall development. These specialists may include:
- Paediatrician: A doctor specializing in child health. Community paediatricians are often the first point of referral and are skilled in assessing a range of developmental conditions in babies and children.
- Paediatric Occupational Therapist: These professionals evaluate your child’s ability to perform everyday tasks. This includes fine motor skills like using cutlery and dressing, crucial aspects in diagnosing developmental dyspraxia.
- Paediatric Physiotherapist: Focusing on movement and motor skills, a paediatric physiotherapist assesses gross motor skills such as balance, jumping, and coordination, which are often affected in children with DCD.
- Educational Psychologist: If learning difficulties are suspected alongside motor challenges, an educational psychologist can assess how emotional, psychological, or behavioral factors might be impacting your child’s educational progress.
In some cases, further specialized expertise might be necessary. Neurodevelopmental paediatricians or paediatric neurologists, who specialize in the central nervous system, may be consulted. These specialists can provide in-depth evaluations, particularly if there’s a need to rule out other neurological conditions that could mimic symptoms of developmental dyspraxia. A neurodevelopmental paediatrician often works within child development centers or local health clinics, making their expertise more accessible. Neurologists are occasionally involved to exclude other neurological conditions that could be causing similar symptoms.
The assessment for developmental dyspraxia diagnosis typically involves a detailed evaluation of your child’s motor skills against expected norms for their age. A norm-referenced assessment is crucial for accurate diagnosis. This is often conducted by a paediatrician, occupational therapist, or physiotherapist. Collaboration between a paediatrician and an occupational therapist is common, with paediatricians often leading the diagnostic process and occupational therapists contributing to both diagnosis and subsequent treatment plans.
The Movement ABC (Movement Assessment Battery for Children) is a frequently used assessment tool. It evaluates:
- Gross Motor Skills: Assessing the large muscle groups used for movements like running, jumping, and maintaining balance. These skills are fundamental in everyday activities and play.
- Fine Motor Skills: Evaluating the small muscle movements needed for precise tasks like drawing, writing, and manipulating small objects. Difficulties in these areas are often a key indicator of developmental dyspraxia.
Your child’s performance in these assessments is scored and then compared to the typical range for children of the same age group. It’s also essential to ascertain that your child’s cognitive abilities are within the normal range for their age. Psychological assessments, or cognitive assessments by a paediatrician for younger children, might be conducted to confirm this aspect. The healthcare professional will also consider your child’s medical history, including birth history and developmental milestones, and family medical history, particularly any family history of DCD.
To finalize a developmental dyspraxia diagnosis, specific diagnostic criteria must be met. These criteria ensure that the diagnosis is accurate and appropriate. Generally, the following conditions are considered:
- Significant Motor Skill Deficit: The child’s motor skills must be significantly below what is expected for their age, considering their opportunities to learn and practice these skills.
- Impact on Daily Life: These motor skill deficits must substantially and persistently affect the child’s daily activities, including self-care and academic achievements at school.
- Early Onset: The symptoms must have been present from an early developmental stage in the child’s life.
- Exclusion of Other Conditions: The motor skill difficulties should not be better explained by other conditions such as general learning disability, cerebral palsy, or muscular dystrophy, unless the motor impairment is disproportionate to the cognitive ability in cases of learning disability.
While suspicions of developmental dyspraxia might arise in preschool years, a definitive diagnosis is typically not made before the age of 5. Obtaining a formal developmental dyspraxia diagnosis is a crucial step towards understanding your child’s challenges and accessing appropriate support. It can also significantly alleviate stress for both children and parents by providing clarity and a pathway for intervention and support.
