Dyspraxia/DCD

Teens

Adolescents and young adults experiencing signs and symptoms of Dyspraxia/DCD may not have been diagnosed in childhood but they have a history of issues such as those listed for Children.

For those in these age groups, challenges with motor coordination and related areas continue to impact academic and/or sports performance, decision-making, and social interactions.

Employability may be a new area of concern. The likelihood of encountering stress, anxiety, and other mental health issues increases.

How is Dyspraxia/DCD Diagnosed?

Additional Resources for Teens

Additional Resources for Parents

“While it was once believed that children with DCD would outgrow their motor difficulties, evidence suggests that these difficulties persist into adolescence and adulthood.”

Tal-Saban et al., 2012

Signs & Symptoms

Listed below are the diverse areas that may be impacted by Dyspraxia/DCD as well as what the teen may experience. Remember, all teens with Dyspraxia/DCD will have some difficulties with fine and/or gross motor skills. Other areas of impact may differ depending on the teen.

Movement, Coordination & Motor Planning

Symptoms of Overlapping Conditions

Symptoms Other than Movement

Difficulties Living with Dyspraxia/DCD

Main Symptoms: Movement, Coordination & Motor Planning

Difficulty coordinating large (gross motor) and/or small (fine motor) body movements.

May experience:

Poor balance
Low muscle tone
Poor posture/slumping in chair
Difficulty with writing and note taking skills
Awkward body movements (walking, running, throwing)
Accident proneness (bumping into people or objects)
Difficulty learning to drive

Limited eye-hand and eye-foot coordination may make activities, such as those below, slow or difficult:

Tasks such as putting on make-up, shaving, and doing hair
Dancing

Symptoms of Overlapping Conditions

Someone with Dyspraxia/DCD may have another diagnosis at the same time.

Focus

Concentrating and staying on task.

May:

Be easily distracted
Have limited attention span
Leave tasks unfinished
Forget or leave belongings behind
Struggle to keep up with peers
Have difficulty with time management

Speech & Language

Producing and using language.

May:

Have immature language patterns
Have difficulty pronouncing some sounds or words
Experience difficulty transferring thoughts to paper
Speak slowly
Pause longer than expected when answering a question

Sensory Processing

Responding to input from the senses.

May:

Be over or under sensitive to stimuli (Example: Extremely sensitive to pain or doesn’t feel pain)
Be bothered by:
- Clothing, including:
  - Certain fabrics
  - Tags
  - Seams
- Light
- Noise
- Smells
- Touch
Be overly cautious or be a risk-taker

Symptoms Other Than Movement

Someone with Dyspraxia/DCD may have symptoms in addition to movement and coordination.

Visual Spatial Processing

Perceiving how far objects are from one’s self and from each other.

May demonstrate:

Lack of body awareness in relationship to other people and/or objects
Limited understanding of personal space
Trouble copying from the board
Problems estimating weight, length, weight, distance
Reluctance or inability to drive

Executive Function

Planning, monitoring, and executing tasks.

May:

Take longer to master new skills
Be impulsive
Not learn from past consequences
Lack awareness of potential danger(s)
Be unaware of the passage of time:
- Needs frequent reminders
- Often arrives late
- Misses assignment deadlines

May have difficulty with:

Setting goals and monitoring progress
Switching focus from one activity to another
Organization and planning skills, including:
- Determining priorities
- Sequencing
- Organizing a paragraph, essay, or theme

Working Memory

Remembering and using information for a short time.

May experience difficulty with:

Following more than one instruction at a time
Remembering names and dates
Misplacing items and finding them
Recalling recent incidents

Difficulties of Living with Dyspraxia/DCD

The stress of living with Dyspraxia/DCD may lead to emotional or mental health issues.

Emotional Regulation

Managing one’s emotions and/or behavior.

May be:

Impulsive
Impatient
Irritable
Easily stressed or frustrated
Slow to adapt to new situations

May:

Crave routine
Have difficulty dealing with the unexpected
Demonstrate school refusal or avoidance

Social Interaction & Participation

Communicating and interacting with others.

May:

Lack confidence
Demonstrate limited development of social skills
Lack understanding of group dynamics
Avoid public places – restrooms, stores, public transportation

May be:

A loner
Awkward in social settings
Uncomfortable eating in social situations
Unaware of social nuances
Susceptible to bullying
Vulnerable and/or open to inappropriate suggestions
Unaware of the dangers of social media

Mental Health

Experiencing emotional and psychological well-being.

May experience:

Depression
Anxiety/social anxiety
Obsessive and or compulsive behavior
Low self-esteem
Changes in sleep
Changes in appetite
Withdrawal from friends and activities

Fatigue

Feeling tired or lacking energy.

May experience:

Lack of energy
Tiring quickly
Frustration
Irritability
Acting out
Avoidance of activities
Difficulty making routine decisions
Difficulty sleeping
Need for longer periods of rest and sleep

How is Dyspraxia/DCD Diagnosed?

Signs and symptoms will begin early in life, but a diagnosis may be made at any age.

A formal diagnosis will use criteria for Code 315.4 Developmental Coordination Disorder from The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5) or for Code 6A04 Developmental Motor Coordination Disorder (Developmental Dyspraxia) in the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11), the global standard for diagnostic health information. For an official diagnosis, all the criteria in the DSM-5 or the ICD-11, which are fairly similar to each other, must be met.

Here is a high-level summary of the main diagnostic criteria:

Motor skills are significantly below the level expected for the individual’s age.
Lack of motor skills and coordination affects activities of daily life at home, school, and/or the workplace.
Symptoms were present early in life.
Difficulties with motor skills are not better explained by other medical conditions such as intellectual disability, neurological conditions or visual impairment.

In the United States, Dyspraxia/DCD must be diagnosed by a medical doctor (MD).

A diagnosis will include assessment of the following:

Medical history including development and symptoms
Gross and fine motor skills, coordination and balance
Other possible causes of motor difficulties.

Healthcare professionals providing input for a diagnosis may include:

Neurologist
Pediatric Neurologist
Neuropsychologist
Pediatrician
Developmental Pediatrician
Occupational Therapist
Physical Therapist
Psychologist

A diagnosis will include the following:

Interviewing the individual and their family members

to gather information about the individual’s history of coordination problems

Observing the individual's performance of everyday tasks

to assess their motor skills and coordination

Conducting a neurological examination

to rule out other conditions that may be causing the individual’s symptoms

Who Can Help With Treatment?

There is no cure, however there are therapies and treatments available to help an individual in reaching their goals and full potential.

The best treatments for Dyspraxia/DCD and overlapping conditions, with or without an official diagnosis, are therapies that support the individual’s needs:

Occupational Therapist

An occupational therapist helps develop skills specific to everyday activities at home, school, and work.

Physical Therapist

A physical therapist uses exercises, equipment, and hands-on therapy to help develop motor skills.

Developmental Optometrist

A developmental optometrist helps improve visual skills using exercises to strengthen the connection between the eyes and the brain.

Psychologist / Mental Health Professional

Psychological therapy can strengthen mental health by improving resilience in the face of challenges and by addressing issues such as depression and anxiety.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a structured, goal-oriented type of talk therapy used by mental health professionals to help people understand and change negative thought patterns and improve coping skills.

Neuropsychologist

In addition to providing assessments for diagnosis of Dyspraxia/DCD, a neuropsychologist may help individuals develop learning and coping strategies tailored to their individual needs.