Developmental coordination disorder: a review and update

Eur J Paediatr Neurol. 2012 Nov;16(6):573-81. doi: 10.1016/j.ejpn.2012.05.005. Epub 2012 Jun 15.

Abstract

Present in approximately 5-6% of school-aged children, developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is a neuromotor disability in which a child's motor coordination difficulties significantly interfere with activities of daily living or academic achievement. These children typically have difficulty with fine and/or gross motor skills, with motor performance that is usually slower, less accurate, and more variable than that of their peers. In this paper, we review the history of various definitions leading up to the current definition of DCD, prevalence estimates for the disorder, etiology, common co-morbidities, the impact of DCD on the child's life, and prognosis. As well, we briefly describe current interventions for children with the disorder and results of recent neuroimaging studies of the brains of children with DCD, including research by the authors of this paper.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
  • Disability Evaluation
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Motor Skills Disorders / complications
  • Motor Skills Disorders / epidemiology
  • Motor Skills Disorders / etiology
  • Motor Skills Disorders / physiopathology*
  • Motor Skills Disorders / psychology
  • Motor Skills Disorders / therapy*
  • Neuroimaging
  • Prevalence
  • Prognosis