Resource for your Practice: DCD Advocacy Tookit

Have you seen the new DCD Advocacy Toolkit? Its resources are designed to support occupational therapists in carrying out best practices for DCD management and advocacy. Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is very common in children and youth, but often over-looked by the health care community. Our research team of occupational therapists received funding from the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research to develop and share a freely accessible DCD Advocacy Toolkit to facilitate evidence-informed assessment, treatment and early intervention for DCD.

• The DCD Advocacy Toolkit includes:
• A comprehensive evidence synthesis on the management of DCD (written for clinicians)
• Easy to read information sheets summarizing best practices in DCD, including:
• Assessment methods
• Treatment approaches
• Early intervention
• Advocacy
• Letter templates to support OTs, teachers and parents to advocate for a diagnosis, for funding, and for additional OT services to address the needs of children with DCD and their families
• A webinar highlighting current research, best practices, and the toolkit resources

The toolkit can be accessed at http://www.childdevelopment.ca/DCDAdvocacyToolkit

Ensuring current knowledge in best practice is key as OTs are central to the delivery of evidence-informed DCD assessment and treatment. Toolkit resources will also support your advocacy efforts to help ensure that children and youth receive timely and much needed intervention and support to manage the motor deficits and secondary consequences that affect their quality of life. We thank you in advance for your time and interest, and for sharing these resources broadly.

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