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Developmental Coordination Disorder and Sensory Processing

Developmental Coordination Disorder and Sensory Processing

The British Journal of Occupational Therapy published research on children with developmental coordination disorder and sensory difficulties to examine the co-occurrence of developmental coordination disorders and sensory processing and integration difficulties.

Data was collected by reviewing the records of 93 children who were diagnosed with developmental coordination disorder (ages 5-12) and who were evaluated with the Movement Assessment Battery for Children – 2 and the Sensory Processing Measure.

The results indicated the following:

  • 88% exhibited some or definite differences in sensory processing and integration.
  • no apparent relationship was observed between motor coordination and sensory processing and integration.
  • all the children showed high rates of some difficulties in social participation, hearing, body awareness, balance and motion, and planning and ideation.
  • children with co-morbid autistic spectrum disorder showed high rates of difficulties with touch and vision.

The researchers concluded that the majority of children with developmental coordination disorder presented with some difficulties in sensory processing and integration that impacted on their participation in everyday activities.

Reference:  Allen, S., & Casey, J. (2017). Developmental coordination disorders and sensory processing and integration: Incidence, associations and co-morbidities. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 0308022617709183.

Simon Says is a HUGE collection of body position cards.  The complete download includes 68 full page body position cards, 13 stop cards, and 25 game ideas to use with the cards.  Children will enjoy practicing motor planning skills, body awareness, following directions and bilateral coordination skills while playing this fun but challenging game.  Make sure the right and left sides of the body match the pose correctly as well.  It is not as easy as it looks!

The best thing about the Simon Says packet is that if you want it requires NO PREP.  Just download (and print if you want) the PDF document and show the children the full size body position cards to copy.  As you move through the activity, the Simon Says Stop cards appear randomly and children can freeze in the position until you change it to the next card.  It doesn’t get any easier than this.

Simon Says is a wonderful extra activity to have available for brain breaks in the classroom, large group instruction or send home copies of the small cards with the game ideas for a home exercise program.

Simon Says – Find out more information.

Developmental Coordination Disorder and Sensory Processing