What Parents Need to Know About Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD)
Jul 23, 2025
If your child seems extra clumsy, struggles with handwriting, or avoids physical activities like riding a bike or playing sports, you may have wondered if there’s something more going on than just being “a little behind.” For some children, these difficulties are caused by Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD)—a condition that affects motor coordination and can impact a child’s confidence, learning, and daily life.
Let’s break down what DCD really is, how it shows up in children, and what parents can do to help.
What Is Developmental Coordination Disorder?
Developmental Coordination Disorder (sometimes called dyspraxia, though that term is more common in the UK) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects a child’s ability to learn and perform motor skills. These are the skills we use to move our bodies with purpose—like tying shoes, writing, jumping, or using utensils.
Children with DCD are just as smart as their peers, but their brains have trouble coordinating movements. It’s not due to muscle weakness or laziness—it’s a difference in how the brain processes and sends movement signals to the body.
Key Features:
• Motor skills are significantly below what is expected for age.
• These challenges interfere with daily living, school performance, or both.
• Symptoms aren’t due to another medical condition (like cerebral palsy) or intellectual disability.
What DCD Might Look Like in Your Child
DCD can show up in different ways depending on age, but here are some common signs:
In Preschool or Early Elementary:
• Trouble learning to use a fork, spoon, or scissors
• Difficulty with potty training due to motor planning issues
• Avoids coloring, drawing, or fine motor play
• Clumsy when walking, running, or climbing stairs
In Older Children:
• Struggles with handwriting (slow, messy, or painful)
• Difficulty tying shoelaces, zipping coats, or buttoning clothes
• Trouble learning to ride a bike or swim
• Avoids team sports or is always “the last one picked”
• Drops things often or bumps into people and objects
• Gets exhausted by tasks that seem easy for others
How DCD Affects Daily Life and Learning
Academic Impact:
• Handwriting struggles: Writing may be slow, hard to read, or physically tiring, making it hard to complete assignments on time.
• Avoidance of written work: This can lead teachers (and even parents) to mistakenly think the child is unmotivated or inattentive.
• Difficulty with organization and sequencing: This impacts things like math problems, multi-step instructions, or following classroom routines.
Social & Emotional Impact:
• Children may compare themselves to peers and feel embarrassed or frustrated.
• They might withdraw from group play or say “I hate gym class.”
• DCD often co-occurs with anxiety and low self-esteem.
Home Life Challenges:
• Takes a long time to get dressed or eat meals
• Avoids crafts, chores, or helping in the kitchen
• May seem resistant or oppositional, when in fact, tasks feel overwhelming or impossible
How Parents Can Support Their Child
The most important first step is understanding that your child is not lazy or unmotivated. They’re likely working twice as hard to do what comes more easily to others.
Here’s how you can help:
1. Get an Evaluation
Ask your pediatrician or school if your child can be evaluated for DCD. A developmental pediatrician, neurologist, child psychologist, or occupational therapist (OT) can help make the diagnosis.
2. Occupational Therapy (OT): A Key Intervention
Occupational therapists are highly trained in helping children with motor planning, coordination, and functional daily skills. Here’s how OT can help:
Fine Motor Skills:
• Strengthening hand muscles for writing, cutting, dressing, and feeding
• Teaching pencil grips or offering assistive tools (e.g., weighted pencils)
Gross Motor Skills:
• Improving balance, posture, and core strength
• Practicing tasks like catching a ball, jumping, or biking in step-by-step ways
Motor Planning:
• Helping children break down tasks (e.g., “open lunchbox → unwrap sandwich → eat”)
• Using visual supports, checklists, or task cards
Activities of Daily Living (ADLs):
• Teaching dressing skills, hygiene routines, and feeding techniques in adaptive ways
Regulation and Confidence:
• Helping children understand their bodies, cope with frustration, and celebrate progress
3. School Accommodations for DCD
Your child may be eligible for a 504 Plan or IEP depending on how DCD affects school functioning. Helpful accommodations include:
• Keyboard use or speech-to-text for writing assignments
• Extended time on written work or tests
• Alternate formats (e.g., oral reports instead of written essays)
• Occupational therapy support at school
• Reduced copying from the board
• Visual checklists or graphic organizers
• Breaks during tasks that require sustained writing or physical effort
What You Can Do at Home
• Break tasks into small steps: Instead of “clean your room,” try “put toys in the bin first.”
• Use visuals and routines: Picture charts, color coding, and written schedules help reduce overwhelm.
• Praise effort, not outcome: Focus on progress—“You worked hard to zip your coat!” instead of “Why is it still taking so long?”
• Limit comparison to siblings/peers: Each child’s timeline is different.
• Celebrate small wins: Mastering a button or learning to ride a scooter is a big deal!
• Advocate with calm confidence: You are your child’s best voice. Teachers and providers will follow your lead.
Children with DCD are smart, creative, and resilient—but they need understanding, patience, and support to reach their potential. With the right interventions and mindset, they can learn to navigate their challenges and thrive in school, at home, and beyond.
If you suspect DCD, you’re not alone—and you’re not imagining things. Seek help early, partner with professionals, and remember: progress is the goal, not perfection.
Parenting Alongside You,
Dr. Emma and the Aparently Parenting Team
SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE PARENTING RESOURCES
We know you're busy! So, we'll make sure to only send the IMPORTANT PARENTING stuff!!
We hate SPAM. We will never sell your information, for any reason.
