Childhood clumsiness may be a sign of dyspraxia

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BY Laura Thompson

August 22, 2008

Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe recently revealed that he suffers from a mild form of the neurological disorder dyspraxia. The condition, also known as Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), means that the British actor has trouble with coordinated movements, such as tying his shoelaces.

“Children with DCD are often missed and misunderstood. Not being able to tie your shoes is just the tip of the iceberg for these children,” said Dr. Cheryl Missiuna, an investigator with the CanChild Centre at McMaster University.

Children with DCD may appear to be clumsy or awkward and struggle to participate in organized sports and leisure activities.

Missiuna said there are five Cs associated with DCD:

  • Common: five to six per cent of children have this health condition
  • Clumsiness: the first sign, but these children are not just awkward
  • Chronic: children don't just grow out of it
  • Co-occurs: often appears with other disorders like language impairment and obesity
  • Consequences: secondary physical and mental health effects may emerge

    Missiuna is an associate professor in the School of Rehabilitation Science at McMaster University and the director of the CanChild Centre for Childhood Disability Research.

    CanChild focuses on research and education related to children and youth with physical, developmental and communication needs and their families. The centre brings together researchers from a wide range of disciplines including pediatrics, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech and language pathology, social psychology, epidemiology and biostatistics.

    For more information on DCD, visit the CanChild website.