Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD / Dyspraxia) is a neurodevelopmental motor condition characterized by marked impairment in the acquisition and execution of coordinated motor skills, manifested by clumsiness, slowness, and inaccuracy of motor performance (e.g., dropping objects, using cutlery, handwriting, riding bicycles, or participating in sports) that substantially interferes with activities of daily living. Frequently co-occurring with Sensory Processing Difficulties (sensory modulation dysfunction: vestibular, proprioceptive, and tactile hyper/hypo-reactivity), DCD is rooted in cerebellar-parietal sensorimotor integration deficits. Grounded in occupational therapy and the Cognitive Orientation to Daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP) approach by Helene Polatajko, the Developmental Coordination, Sensory and Motor Difficulties Psychoeducation Module provides 20 structured video lessons covering motor planning, sensory diets, and task-oriented interventions.
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The Motor Planning Triad (Praxis)
Dyspraxia disrupts the three core stages of praxis:
- Ideation: Conceptualizing what action to perform and envisioning the motor goal.
- Motor Planning: Organizing the neuromuscular sequencing, spatial trajectory, and timing of muscle contractions.
- Execution: Carrying out the physical movement smoothly and adjusting based on sensory feedback.
Individuals with DCD struggle with motor automaticity; tasks that neurotypical brains perform without thinking (tying shoelaces, buttoning shirts) require continuous, exhausting conscious cognitive control.
Helene Polatajko’s CO-OP Approach
Rather than generic balance drills, the evidence-based CO-OP model utilizes metacognitive problem solving: Goal → Plan → Do → Check. The client identifies personal performance goals, discovers self-generated movement strategies, and practices task-specific adaptations paired with occupational therapy sensory diets.
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