DCD Educational Materials for Home, School, Physicians and other Health Professionals

The following resources are designed to help parents identify and manage school-aged children with movement problems typical of Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). Strategies written specifically for adolescents with DCD are also provided to help answer some of their questions about DCD. Parents interested in obtaining a diagnosis for their child should contact their family physician or pediatrician to ask more about DCD. Some primary care physicians are less familiar with this disorder. Several resources provided here have been found to be helpful, and may be shared with physicians. Additional resources are provided to guide parents who wish to obtain occupational therapy or physiotherapy services in Ontario. Families who are outside of Ontario should contact their family physician for information about appropriate services for their child. Tips and strategies on encouraging physical activity in children are also provided. Finally, a list of suggested readings on DCD that may be suitable for different audiences (including children with movement problems) is included here.

Translations of measures and materials on the CanChild website are performed by individuals who are fluent in both English and their own language. CanChild requires a ‘back translation’ of the document by a different person than the original translator to ensure accuracy. The customs and culture of various regions may not be reflected accurately unless a validation study has been conducted.

Resources

• Does your child have DCD? (Swedish translation)
• Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder: At home, at school and in the community (booklet). Also available in Chinese (Simplified), Farsi, French, German, Hindi, Italian, Portuguese, Punjabi, Spanish, Urdu
• Developmental Coordination Disorder: What Does it Mean to Me? (A Flyer for Adolescents)

Resources to Share with Physicians

• Finding an Occupational Therapist or Physiotherapist in Ontario

Encouraging Physical Activity:

• Encouraging Participation in Physical Activities for Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder
• Fit To Be Tried (August/September 2010 issue of Parents Canada)

Suggested Readings in DCD

• The ABCs of DCD - An article in the Fall 2012 issue of Physiotherapy Practice​

Children who have coordination difficulties struggle with many routine tasks that other children do with ease during a typical school day. Printing, cutting with scissors, opening lunch containers, and playing games at recess can all be sources of frustration for a child with coordination difficulties. Older students who have mastered some of these basic skills may still have difficulties with organization of time/materials, quality/speed of written output, participation in physical education classes and in sports.

Classroom teachers can help students with motor difficulties meet the curriculum requirements of their grade level by making sure the task and the learning environment are right for the student. Teachers can also provide accommodations to help students complete their work and demonstrate their learning progress. The resources below provide information for educators, outlining common classroom issues, presenting specific strategies for all classroom grade levels (MATCH approach), and describing accommodations that have been found to help children with motor difficulties be successful at school. Parents of children with DCD may find these flyers useful for sharing information with their child's educators. Many of the flyers are also available in French/aussi disponible en francais.

Translations of measures and materials on the CanChild website are performed by individuals who are fluent in both English and their own language. CanChild requires a ‘back translation’ of the document by a different person than the original translator to ensure accuracy. The customs and culture of various regions may not be reflected accurately unless a validation study has been conducted.

Resources

• Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder: At home, at school and in the community (booklet). Also available in Chinese (Simplified), Farsi, French, German, Hindi, Italian, Portuguese, Punjabi, Spanish, Urdu

"M.A.T.C.H." Flyers

• Children with Motor Difficulties from JK - Adolescence (Also available in French)
• Children with Coordination Difficulties - A Flyer for Physical Educators

Additional Resources

• Succeeding at School: Accommodations for Students with Coordination Difficulties (Also available in French and Portuguese)
• To Write or to Type - That is the Question!

School Resources: Partnering for Change

The following packaged resources were developed through the Partnering for Change Study. Resources were developed for occupational therapists (ots) and teachers, working with children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) and other motor coordination challenges. Specifically, 'Lunch & Learns' were developed for OTs to use with a group of teachers and 'OT Tips' and 'Additional Resources' were developed for teachers.

Resources for Students in JK/SK:

• Dressing skills
• Scissor skills
• Motor development
• Pre-Printing/Fine Motor

Resources for Students in Grades 1-3

• Motor development
• Printing

Articles​

• The ABCs of DCD
• They’re Bright but Can’t Write: Developmental Coordination Disorder in school aged children
• Understanding teachers' perceptions of the motor difficulties of children with developmental coordination disorder

Video

One student in every high school class will struggle with coordination difficulties. We can help kids with DCD by teaching them a strategy approach that allows them to MATCH their activities and abilities to promote success.

These resources provide information about developmental coordination disorder and describe ways that parents and community leaders (coaches, instructors, group leaders) can help children with DCD participate in physical and social activities with their peers. Parents of children with DCD may find these resources useful for sharing information with individuals in their community such as coaches and other group leaders.

Translations of measures and materials on the CanChild website are performed by individuals who are fluent in both English and their own language. CanChild requires a ‘back translation’ of the document by a different person than the original translator to ensure accuracy. The customs and culture of various regions may not be reflected accurately unless a validation study has been conducted.

Resources

• Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder: At home, at school and in the community (booklet) - English (Also available in Chinese (Simplified), Farsi, French, German, Hindi, Italian, Portuguese, Punjabi, Spanish, and Urdu)
• Do you know a child who is clumsy? A flyer for coaches and physical instructors (Also available in French)
• Do you know a child who is clumsy? A flyer for community group leaders and instructors
• Encouraging Participation in Physical Activities for Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder 

These flyers provide information about developmental coordination disorder for health service providers. Parents of children with DCD may find these flyers useful for sharing information about DCD with individuals who work with their child and family.

Resources

Flyers for Health Professionals (Also available in French)

• Recognizing and Referring Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder: The Role of the Physical Therapist 
• Recognizing and Referring Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder: The Role of the Speech Language Pathologist
• Recognizing and Referring Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder: The Role of the Occupational Therapist
• Recognizing and Referring Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder: The Role of the Psychologist
• Recognizing and Referring Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder: The Role of the Medical Practitioner
• Recognizing and Referring Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder: The Role of the Optometrist

Journal Articles​

• Enabling occupation through facilitating the diagnosis of developmental coordination disorder

Resources

• Physicians looking for information previously obtained from the DCD Pack website can find the majority of this information under "About DCD".
• Recognizing and referring children with developmental coordination disorder: Role of the physician
• Children with developmental coordination disorder: A flyer for medical practitioners (Also available in French)

Journal Articles​

• Parental questions about developmental coordination disorder: A synopsis of current evidence
• Teaching case report: Why every office needs a tennis ball