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Information on occupational therapy for children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). 

Occupational therapy promotes the participation of children and young people in everyday activities they find meaningful.

Occupational therapists work with young children and their families to promote participation in everyday tasks including self-help skills (e.g. sleeping, going to the toilet), play and participating in preschool and school.

Occupational therapists can work alongside other health professionals in your child’s life including a paediatrician, speech pathologist, physiotherapist, and teacher.   

Developmental Coordination Disorder

Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that impacts a child’s ability to participate in everyday activities. 

Children with DCD have significant difficulties with motor planning and coordination (below expected age level) and are often described as “clumsyâ€�. 

These difficulties are present from early development. Children with DCD do not experience intellectual, neurological or visual impairment alongside coordination difficulties.

Children with DCD experience difficulty completing everyday activities. The role of an Occupational Therapist (OT) is to assist children to overcome these challenges.

OTs do this by setting goals that are important to each child, directly practicing those goals and working with families to come up with solutions and strategies. Research tells us the most effective interventions include the following: 

Not all interventions have been researched and proven to be effective and there are specific interventions recommended for different diagnoses.

The frequency of therapy sessions is usually discussed with your child’s therapist and is dependent on your child’s goals. Some interventions have specific guidelines that outline the required duration and intensity of therapy. For example: 

• Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP) requires 12 hours of practice to achieve results.
• Handwriting Task Practice requires 20 hours of practice to achieve results.
• Goal Directed Training requires 14 hours of practice to achieve results.

Home programs aim to increase the amount of practice your child undertakes outside of therapy. This practice has been found to be effective in assisting a child to achieve their goals sooner.

You can find a local OT via the  

The cost of therapy can vary depending on the therapist and whether you are paying privately or using a funding scheme to assist with payment. Most therapists charge by the hour.  

You can chat to your doctor about accessing limited subsidised therapy sessions through a Chronic Disease Management Plan (CDMP) or Better Access to Mental Health Care Plan (BAMH).