Are DCD and Dyspraxia the same thing?
DCD is the clinical diagnostic term for Dyspraxia. However, many people with lived experience say they prefer the term ‘dyspraxia’ to DCD because they are uncomfortable with the words:
- ‘developmental’ – which suggests they should have ‘grown out of’ their difficulties by adulthood,
- ‘coordination’ – because this does not convey the range of difficulties they experience day to day, both physical and non-physical; and
- ‘disorder’ – because they regard themselves as ‘different’ rather than ‘disordered’.
Is DCD a disability?
DCD is a protected disability under the Equality Act and is considered a disability by the government in terms of application for additional help, such as the Disabled Students Allowance.
Does DCD overlap with any other conditions?
It is very common for people with dyspraxia/DCD to have symptoms of at least one other disorder. Research suggests that:
- Around 50% of people with dyspraxia/DCD also have ADHD.
- Around 10% of people with dyspraxia/DCD show signs of autism while around 80% of children with autism have movement difficulties consistent with a diagnosis of dyspraxia/DCD.
- Around 50% of children with dyslexia show features of dyspraxia/DCD.
- Around one-third of children with specific language impairment also have dyspraxia/DCD.
Can DCD affect my learning?
It certainly can. Not only in the aspect of affecting writing speed or your ability to manipulate objects with your motor skills, DCD can affect your ability to organise your thoughts for writing or daily tasks. It can also affect your ability to verbalise coherently, meaning that sometimes people with DCD may say their sentences jumbled up.
Can you develop DCD later in life?
No, DCD will have been present during your childhood. If you are experiencing difficulties that seem similar to DCD as an adult but they were not present as a child, there may be another medical explanation for this.