Developemental Co-ordination Disorder is also known as DCD, dyspraxia or clumsy child syndrome. There are many children who find it difficult to carry out every day tasks such as tieing shoe laces, doing up buttons. They are not ill and have no medical problems but they are often noted to be clumsy by their parents.

These children may have difficulty in learning to ride a bike, tie shoelaces, eat using a knife and fork, or even dress themselves. They often find school very demanding and soon find themselves falling behind and feeling like a failure.

In the classroom

Writing can be difficult and someone with DCD or dyspraxia may find it difficult to keep their place. They may often space their writing in a strange fashion, often the words are all bunched up. This may indicate that they have visual and motor problems.

Copying is also particularly difficult and this may be due to the fact that the child has a poor visuo-spatial memory. Everytime they look up and down from the board to their paper they lose their place and have to retrace. This takes time and makes their progress slow.It is often useful to let the child sit facing the board but it is usually more helpful if the copying material can be placed on the desk beside the child.Copying at near is usually much easier.

Other Signs and Symptoms

Often these children will dislike sport in generalThey may have tantrums and refuse to try things, feeling that they cannot do i. They may be sensitive to touch, sound or other stimuli. They may fidget and move about when trying to do work always recommend that children who see me with a history of some of the problems described above, should see an occupational therapist

Occupational therapy and vision therapy may help children who

Are clumsy and frequently fall.

Avoid certain physical activities e.g. tennis, gym.

Find it difficult to master tasks at the same time as their peers e.g. riding a bike, rollerblading, swimming.

Find handwriting difficult, are slow to copy work, have an awkward pencil grip, and the presentation of their work is poor.

Find fine, dexterous tasks difficult and boring.

Are unable to concentrate on a task if there is noise or movement around them. Have strong preferences or dislikes for certain play park activities e.g. roundabouts.

Have difficulty locating objects within a cluttered picture or room.

Lose their place frequently when copying or reading.

Perform better in oral rather than written tasks.