Motor-coordination difficulties include developmental co-ordination disorder and dyspraxia. They occur when the development of motor skills is delayed, or when there is a difficulty to co-ordinate movements smoothly, and this affects a child’s ability to perform everyday tasks.
Motor-coordination difficulties require a whole team of specialists to diagnose and support you - it may be that your child is first seen by a Paediatrician for known delays in development, and a diagnosis of motor coordination difficulty may follow after this. Early detection is useful to provide support to prevent any more difficulties occurring later on.
Please read more about recognising symptoms and more on NHS choices.
Parents and Carers
If you are a parent concerned your child may have a motor coordination disorder, please look at NHS choices first, then speak with your health visitor (pre-school), or school health nurse and special educational needs co-ordinator (school-age) and GP. All of these professionals can assess your concerns with you and refer on to specialist support if it is required.
CCHP services that may be involved:
- Community Paediatricians
- Occupational Therapy
- Speech and Language Therapy
- Health Visitor
- School Health Nurse
Community Paediatrician and Multi-Agency Support
There is a range of support that can be offered by the above professionals individually and through working together as professionals (we call this multi-disciplinary working). This support is led by the Community Paediatrician, and all depends on the severity of the disorder. Following discussion with you they will suggest what opportunities may available to help, and who may be most appropriate to help.
When referred to a Community Paediatrician, please expect an 'opt-in' letter within 8 weeks of receipt of the referral. When you receive this 'opt-in' letter please make contact as requested to arrange your appointment. If we do not hear back from you within a week of this letter, you will be sent one further 'opt-in' letter. If we do not hear from you within two weeks of this, it is then assumed you no longer wish to be seen, and a letter will be sent confirming that you have been discharged from the service.
A range of services within the CCHP may be involved in treating motor coordination difficulties - please explore the Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy and Speech and Language Therapy sections from the menu options on the right hand side to learn more about these services.
NHS Choices
For more information about a condition, please visit NHS Choices.
Living with Co-Ordination Difficulties
Read about a local family's experience of living with Developmental Co-ordination Difficulties (DCD) and meeting CCHP occupational therapists:
More family stories also available in the Your Say section