Understanding Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD)/Dyspraxia
Towards best practice assessment & interventions
ONLINE (over 3 x 2.5 hour sessions)
Fridays – 6th, 20th and 27th June 2025
1:00pm – 4:00pm (Aust EST) (with 30 min break)
Brisbane/Sydney/Canberra/Melbourne/Hobart – 1:00pm – 4:00pm (Aust EST) – Darwin/Adelaide – 12:30pm – 3:30pm (Aust CST) – Perth – 11:00am – 2:00pm (Aust WST)
Developmental co-ordination disorder (DCD), also known as dyspraxia, is a motor impairment that presents in early childhood and significantly impacts upon a child’s ability to organise and direct their body to perform efficient motor sequences. A child with DCD will demonstrate a performance in daily activities that is below that expected for his or her age. While DCD is not related to a child’s intelligence, it can make it more difficult for them to learn and participate in learning and school-based tasks. Depending on the severity of symptoms, DCD/Dyspraxia can have a significant impact across the life span, with participation challenges across a number of domains including:
- physical health and well-being and participation in leisure pursuits
- social engagement and self-esteem
- areas of daily living including self-care/self-maintenance
- academic tasks such as handwriting, organisation and planning.
DCD has a high incidence of co-morbidity with other neuro-developmental conditions including hypermobility, ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder and other learning difficulties. It is essential that occupational therapists understand the diversity of the profile and their role in contributing to a comprehensive assessment that not only meet diagnostic criteria, but also addresses the child and family priorities/concerns. This workshop will also explore research evidence, strategies practical tools for occupational therapists to develop effective strength-based, goal-oriented and participation-based interventions that will assist this population engage in activities across a variety of domains and environments.
Workshop Aims – The workshop aims to provide participants with:
- an ability to define what is praxis vs DCD.
- an overview of the underlying causes for difficulties
- an ability to identify functional implications for dyspraxia
- an understanding of the OT role in diagnosis and prognosis
- a clinical reasoning framework to choose the most appropriate assessment tools/process
- a clinical reasoning framework to employ effective tiered treatment approaches.
This workshop is open to occupational therapists.
Workshop Delivery – Participants will be expected to complete the workshop requirements via an integrated system of self-study and three online workshop presentations. The online sessions will use a mixture of information presentation, case studies and practical small group activities. Participants will be responsible for having access to the internet for some or all of the workshop content.
- Self-study – Participants will need to allocate 1 -1.5 hours prior to each of the online group sessions to complete pre-reading, case study preparation and self-reflection tasks.
- Workshop Manuals participants will be mailed a hard copy of the workshop manual which will include presentation notes, covering the online presentation content as well as the case studies used in the self-study and interactive components of the presentation sessions.
- On line presentation – using Zoom videoconferencing, participants will have the opportunity to link into three presentation sessions (with 30 min break mid-session). Sessions will also include interactive components (ie group discussions, case studies and Q&A sessions) to assist with integrating participants newly acquired knowledge and skills. Participants will be emailed the link (including password) to the workshop presentation sessions.
Workshop Recording – Please note to safeguard the copyright of material presented, maintain the confidentiality of case discussions and the privacy of participants, this workshop WILL NOT be recorded.
About the Presenter – Dr. Áine O’Dea PhD – Radiance Consulting – Limerick, Ireland
Áine is an occupational therapist, with over 20 years’ experience across public and private sectors, spanning clinical, research, education and leadership positions. Áine is passionate about supporting awareness and understanding for clients and families impacted by DCD; and promoting best-practice assessment and interventions. Her doctoral studies examined the most effective interventions to treat this disorder and how to combat the potential adverse impacts on inclusion and participation for young people.
Áine is a published author of several journal papers and a contributor to other publications related to DCD, clinical supervision and parent coaching. She enjoys public speaking, presenting at both a national and international levels, as well as delivering training to a wide range of audiences.