DCD consensus: What is it & what

does it mean for you?

Elisabeth Hill

EACD

• Consensus guidelines

Rainer Blank

medical and therapist societies

EACD Recommendations for best-evidence clinical practice on definitions, diagnosis, assessment & treatment of Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) / Specific developmental disorder of motor functions (SDDMF)

EACD guidelines

• Sections

underlying mechanisms; consequences; comorbidity; definition & assessment; treatment

• Key principles

international experts contributed

evidence-based: peer reviewed journals (levels of evidence); aspects of good clinical practice (indicated by >95% expert agreement)

consensus

Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, 2012, 54(1), 54-93

AWMF (German equivalent to NICE)

Pocket/full versions also on EACD website: http://www.eacd.org/publications.php

Terminology

• APA: DSM-IV

developmental coordination disorder (DCD)

• WHO: ICD-10

specific developmental disorder of motor functions (SDDMF)

American Psychiatric Association (1994)

DCD

Motor coordination:

substantially below that expected given child’s chronological age and intelligence

marked delays in achieving motor milestones (e.g. crawling, walking, sitting)

significantly interferes with academic achievement or activities of daily living

not due to medical condition (e.g. cerebral palsy)

UK context

• Co-ordinators

Dr. Anna Barnett (Oxford Brookes)

Dr. Elisabeth Hill (Goldsmiths, University of London)

Prof. Amanda Kirby (University of Wales)

Prof. David Sugden (Leeds University)

DCD

Developmental Co-ordination Disorder (DCD), also known as Dyspraxia in the UK, is a common disorder affecting fine or gross motor co-ordination in children and adults. This lifelong condition is formally recognised by international organisations including the World Health Organisation. DCD is distinct from other motor disorders such as cerebral palsy and stroke and occurs across the range of intellectual abilities. Individuals may vary in how their difficulties present; these may change over time depending on environmental demands and life experience. An individual’s co-ordination difficulties may affect participation and functioning of everyday life skills in education, work and employment. Children may present with difficulties with self-care, writing, typing, riding a bike and play as well as other educational and recreational activities. In adulthood many of these difficulties will continue, as well as learning new skills at home, in education and work, such as driving a car and DIY. There may be a range of co-occurring difficulties which can also have serious negative impacts on daily life. These include social and emotional difficulties as well as problems with time management, planning and personal organisation and these may also effect an adult’s education or employment experiences.

UK context

• Co-ordinators

Dr. Anna Barnett (Oxford Brookes)

Dr. Elisabeth Hill (Goldsmiths, University of London)

Prof. Amanda Kirby (University of Wales)

Prof. David Sugden (Leeds University)

• Key principles

no change to evidence base

modifications to reflect different educational/medical/allied health etc systems

consensus

UK pocket version

• Definition, diagnostic criteria, assessment

• Treatment: indication, planning, intervention, additional support, evaluation

Activity

• Discussion

Diagnostic criteria / assessment

Intervention

Focus on what each section means for your professional group (education; health; other)

• What have you learned?

• What questions do you have?

• How can you take this forward in your context?

What next?

• UK context paper

• Dissemination leaflets

• Professional journal articles

Thank you for coming!