Developmental Coordination Disorder

[Anonymous]

Does anyone have a child with this??? What is the best resource? Who diagnoses this?

It was mentioned by my older child's school as a possibility for her, then they dropped it and said she was fine. Now my younger child is on OT and I suspect this is the problem, based on what the OT has said so far.

[Anonymous]

my dc has this, basically. there are other names for it -- dyspraxia, motor planning problems, clumsy child syndrome, etc. it's often lumped in with sensory processing disorder also. it's actually not a "diagnosis," per se, because it's mostly descriptive, and no two kids are really alike. our developmental ped (conlon) confirmed my suspicion that our dc had this, but he didn't put much stock in it as a diagnosis. it seems like it's used either as a catch all, or as "not autism."

[Anonymous]

can I ask you a very straighforward question? What do you think will be accomplished by diagnosing your child with this?

Are your child's developmental delays severe and significant enough that you suspect it will be a long term problem? Or are you looking for a label to be eligible for short-to-long term treatment?

As a mother of an autistic child who at some point fit all kinds of categories, I am sometimes alarmed at how quick parents will be with looking for a diagnosis, when the reality is that it may be too early to tell what the problem will be.

I found myself in the same dilemma as you are: my older autistic son does not have this disorder, but my younger daughter fits the criteria. Still, I don't think she benefits from these labels just yet, instead, we are seeking treatment, such as OT and PT to tackle the "symptoms" first. She is improving, not quickly, but any progress is good.

An OT, though not allowed to diagnose anything, can actually tell you whether you should have your child evaluated for a medical condition. In order to actually get a diagnosis, you may have to go through the entire group of specialists:

Neurologist (to rule out other conditions)
Developmental Pediatrician
OP, PT, Speech

If everything else is ruled out and your child meets the criteria, it will likely be a team approach to determine the diagnosis. If your child is diagnosed with it, you will likely qualify for services through schools, etc.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Good question, PP. I guess I just want a quick answer. I want to know aht it all means and what the future will look like. Not noble of me and not realistic, but true. My DD is in OT and will be in ST soon, so I guess I'm addressing the symptoms. I don't know why the label is important to me. So far, we haven't submitted any of the OT to insurance so I have no idea if they will pay for it. I suppose at some point I may need a label for insurance purposes.

I'm glad you posted because it makes me think twice about being so quick to label.

[Anonymous]

PP here, thanks for not taking it the wrong way and for your honest answer! And yes, for insurance purposes, you will need a label (though sometimes developmental delays alone are enough, depending on the insurance)

I know what you mean about wanting to know the future, I think it is very natural. But often times it is better to evaluate a child without a certian diagnosis in mind. You should have her checked out by the above mentioned specialists to rule out other causes. But if you walk in fixated on one label, you may get frustrated really quickly when the specialists are unwilling to label her anything.

Good luck! You're doing the right thing, early intervention is certainly the most important step.