2022
This is the first capsule I’ll make to provide you with some information about different kinds of disability. In these posts, I’ll share a bit about the disability but also about how, as local guides, you can improve your contribution to help people with that disability. Please, let me know if you would like me to write more! Today, let’s start with Developmental Coordination Disorder since October 4th to 10th was the DCD awareness week!
Developemental Coordination Disorder
DCD (or developmental coordination disorder), also known as dyspraxia, is a disability that affects about 5-6% of school-aged children. That means that there’s about 1 child with DCD in every classroom. There are more boys with DCD than girls (about 5:1 ratio). DCD is usually diagnosed around 7 years old.
But what is DCD? It’s a disability that affects the quality of motor skills and movement coordination, meaning the kid will have difficulty performing his everyday task. These kids are often described as being clumsy because there are tripping on things, are unable to master motor activities such as throwing a ball or tying their shoes or even brushing their teeth. It is not because they have a mental delay but really because they can coordinate their movement properly. It can cause great problems at school because mastering the writing will be hard and they won’t be able to structure their sheet properly and thus, they will often be seen as lazy. DCD is invisible and it's often hard for people to understand that it IS in indeed a disability and not only a child acting up and not wanting to do his things properly. Even if it's not visible, the struggles they will have are very much real.
For example, every change in a task will mean the child will have to learn to do it again. While for you and me it’s easy to tie laces, no matter if they are on shoes, skates or clothes, a child with DCD will see them as 3 completely different tasks. They won’t be able to generalize their learning to other similar tasks. Also, the feedback chain isn’t working properly, meaning that they won’t be able to properly plan the movement based on what didn’t work previously.
While it was once thought that children would outgrow their motor difficulties, it is now known that it persists. When growing up, children with DCD learn to perform their tasks in their own way. The difficulty is still there when trying to learn a new task they have never seen before. So every new activity will necessitate adjustment time to learn to master it. Early intervention is the key to help children learn to cope with their disability. The most important thing is to work on their self-confidence because they often see themselves as not being good since they can’t perform like their friends.
How to recognize a child with DCD?
- A child with DCD will have difficulties with a simple task such as zipping their coats, tying their shoelaces or even eating without making a mess.
- They will often avoid physical activities because they feel they’re not good at it.
- They will be clumsy. They will trip against things, fall on the ground, knock things over or bump into others.
- They will write poorly or draw poorly. They will have a messy working sheet. Won’t be able to stay within the lines while colouring.
- They can be frustrated by their inability to perform like they would like to.
- Also note that each child is different, and some DCD children might perform well in a sport while having great difficulties with fine motor activities.
What information as local guides can you provide on maps to help?
- Is the place really crowded?
- Are the alleys big?
- If it’s a playground, are the surface soft if a kids fall?
- Are the activities have multiples steps? Or is it one simple step?
- Do you need to be really precise while doing the activity (like painting on porcelain activity)
Those are small examples of things you can add to help parents with DCD children to know what to expect when going to a new place. Help us make a more inclusive world for all types of disabilities!
Want to know more about DCD? Here are some helpful resources
CanChild is a Canadian Organisation making helpful researches about DCD
The Dyspraxia foundation in the UK also have a lot of information
The European Academy of Childhood Disability has made recommendations guidelines about DCD
@Melissa_Langlois @ Thank you for sharing such an informative post. Because it's very first time when I read about this kind of different ability in any child. Whenever I will write a review, i will surely keep these points in my mind, which you describe in your post, to create awareness and guide people.
Thanks again, and God bless you and your family.
Hey @Melissa_Langlois,
very informative post, thank you for sharing all those info with us. It is very important and we, as Local Guides, can make indeed awareness about DCD.
Thank you.
