Apologies for the delay in finishing off my Introduction To Neurominorities series. I'll admit this one was the hardest to gather and sort information on given how focused it is on diagnosis and assistive therapies in children. This certainly highlighted a big gap in understanding and support for adults with and without a formal diagnosis.
I've linked in 3 resources at the end of the blog post as starting points for support. I would be very appreciative if anyone in my network has been diagnosed with DCD at any point in their life, or is currently thinking about seeking a diagnosis, to help increase my understanding and where support systems are failing.
Developmental co-ordination disorder (DCD) is also referred to as Dyspraxia (15). DCD is a complex, lifelong neurological condition which affects muscle coordination and perception (including vision, hearing and proprioception) (8).
DCD impacts up to 6% of the population and is more common in males, who are 3 times more likely to be diagnosed (15).
Common strengths for those with DCD include:
Big picture thinking
Pattern spotting
Inferential reasoning
Resourceful and determined problem solvers
Common challenges for those with DCD include:
Driving and operating equipment (including computers)
Self care and organisation
Communication and self esteem
Processing speed and working memory
DCD is commonly diagnosed in children after the age of 5 (since motor skill development up to this age can be notably variable) (15). As a result, large teams of specialists are commonly involved in the diagnosis and delivery of therapy. These include:
Paediatrician
Occupation therapist
Psychologist
Exercise physiologist
Physiotherapist
Speech pathologist
Unfortunately there are currently no specific diagnosis criteria for adults, the biggest barrier being the lack of standardised motor assessments (which are well defined for children) (15). Below are some resources aimed towards adult diagnosis and support. Note that two out of three resources are from overseas, I found it very difficult to find resources for adults here in Australia. Reading the personal story from Gina helped shed more light on why this is.
Personal story from Sydney-based freelance journalist Gina Flaxman (Neurodiversity Media is a fantastic hub for neurodiversity at work resources)
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