Developmental coordination disorder
If movement or everyday tasks have taken extra effort for a long time, understanding your needs can help. Explore what adult assessment considers and what practical support might fit your day.
Coordination needs can be understood.
Developmental coordination disorder (DCD), often called dyspraxia, affects movement and coordination. Adult information needs to consider everyday activities and developmental history. The term ‘dyspraxia’ can also be used for acquired difficulties, so the timing matters.
DCD does not describe your intelligence. You may want an explanation, support with a task or both. What is useful to you matters more than how your movement compares with someone else’s.
Based on NHS
An activity and its history belong together.
- Your activity
What you want to do more comfortably
- Developmental history
Longstanding difficulties and any new changes
- Clinical assessment
Other causes and an appropriate adult pathway
- Practical support
Adaptations around your own activities
Movement demands can make an ordinary task difficult.
Developmental coordination disorder, often called dyspraxia, mainly affects movement and coordination. Everyday tasks can involve fine movements, balance or learning a sequence. An adult assessment considers earlier history as well as current difficulties and other explanations.
A fictional example might be someone who understands a task but needs more time to learn the physical sequence. That is different from not caring about doing it. Describe the task, the movement demand and any discomfort or safety concern.
Task
What are you trying to do?
Demand
Which movement or sequence is difficult?
Support
What practical advice or change would you like to discuss?
Based on NHS
Talk about the activities that matter to you.
Examples can help explain a concern, but they cannot establish DCD. New symptoms or a sudden change need medical attention rather than a developmental label.
Movement
You might discuss movement, balance or coordination in an activity you choose.
Small movements
You might describe tasks that involve small movements, such as writing or using utensils.
Everyday activities
You might want support with an everyday activity at home, work or study.
The history
You can explain how long the difficulties have been present and distinguish new changes.
Adult assessment needs an adult pathway.
A health professional can consider your history, functioning and other possible causes, and advise on an appropriate referral. Adult assessment and service availability vary. Ask who assesses coordination concerns locally and what the assessment will address.
The Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (DCDQ) is a parent-report questionnaire for children aged 5–15. It is not an adult dyspraxia self-test. Selfmora does not offer it as a substitute for your own clinical assessment.
Based on NHS · DCDQ developers
- 1Which activity matters?
Describe a movement or everyday task you want support with.
- 2Has it always been difficult?
Explain the developmental history and any new changes separately.
- 3What have you tried?
Ask about practical assessment and adaptations for your own activities.
Build support around your activities.
You and an appropriate specialist can discuss support for your own goals.
Based on NHS
Ask about practical assessment and support.
A healthcare professional may refer you to a relevant specialist, such as an occupational therapist, depending on local services. Ask what the assessment will cover and how the recommendations relate to home, work or study.
A new or worsening movement problem deserves medical attention. Do not assume that it is developmental because this description feels familiar, and do not use a child questionnaire to assess yourself as an adult.
Based on NHS
Find support. Prepare your next step.
Find care or prepare a conversation. You can ask for help before you have a diagnosis.
Your first sentence does not need to be perfect.
You can begin with a health professional and one example of a longstanding difficulty. Ask about an adult pathway and practical support. Mention new or worsening symptoms separately; urgent symptoms need help immediately.
“Could we explore the history of this coordination difficulty and practical support for the activity I want to do?”Make it sound like you
Your questions, with room for nuance.
You can read just the answer you need.
Can adults seek help with coordination difficulties?
Yes. You can discuss difficulties affecting daily life with a healthcare professional. Ask about suitable local assessment and practical support, and mention any new or worsening change.
Based on NHS
Where this information comes from.
Use this hub to learn and prepare questions. It does not diagnose you or recommend a personal treatment plan. By Selfmora editorial; sources checked . Updated .
Additional explanations and examples: sources consulted . Examples illustrate ideas; they do not assess your personal health. Your questions
- Developmental coordination disorder in adults
- DCDQ: parent-report questionnaire for children aged 5–15
- Stroke symptoms: immediate medical help