ABSTRACT
CHILDREN WITH DEVELOPMENTAL COORDINATION DISORDER 84
School-based health professionals receive a large number of referrals for children who exhibit mild motor or sensory motor problems that interfere with their performance at school. Often these children exhibit problems of sufficient severity to warrant the diagnosis of Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). "The essential feature of Developmental Coordination Disorder is a marked impairment in the development of motor coordination . . . that significantly interferes with academic achievement or activities of daily living."1 In the past, children with DCD were provided intensive treatment for extended periods of time in clinics or schools.2-4 Recent cutbacks in funding have seriously reduced services to these children. The rationale provided for cutting services has included issues of large numbers, the high cost of treatment, relatively small treatment effects, and the presumed unimportance of the problem. However, contrary to previous beliefs that this is a benign childhood condition, it is now clear from longitudinal studies that the condition persists into adulthood1 and that there can be serious long-term sequelae.5-8 Children with DCD are at risk for increased reliance on educational, social, mental health, vocational and economic services as they develop. Effective management of this condition is, therefore, an important health issue.
