How to Access the Service

Access to the Children's OT DCD service is by medic referral only.

 

DCD (Developmental Co-ordination Disorder) Pathway

The DCD Pathway is for the assessment of children who have motor skills difficulties and meet the criteria for a potential diagnosis of Developmental Co-ordination Disorder (DCD).

 

Who can refer?

• All referrals must be made by a Paediatrician or GP to ensure that a post assessment diagnosis can be given to the child. A neurological screening needs to be completed prior to the referral being made to rule out any other neurological condition.

 

What is referral criteria?

• Children aged between 5 – 16 years 11 months in mainstream schools.
• Registered with a GP in Wirral
• The Movement ABC checklist must indicate that the child has a difficulty i.e. scores within red and amber zones indicative of a motor skills difficulty.
• The child must meet the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) criteria for Developmental Co-ordination Disorder.
• Referrals will not be accepted for children who have already been seen through the pathway previously. As per Wirral University Teaching Hospital DCD Clinical guideline (June 2023) Paediatricians will discharge those children with a sole diagnosis of DCD once a diagnosis has been made.

 

What we do not provide

The OT Service will not accept referrals for the following: -

• Handwriting / Dysgraphia / Dyslexia in the absence of a concern about other motor skill and functional skill deficits
• Referrals when the motor skill deficit can be better explained by intellectual disability, visual impairment or a neurological condition affecting movement (e.g., cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy / degenerative muscle conditions, genetic disorders, tumours)
• Children with a global developmental delay whose motor skills are in line with their global level of development. Referrals will be accepted for children who have motor skill deficits in excess of their learning difficulties – please indicate this on the referral form.

 

Sensory Education Session Pathway

The sensory education session pathway is for children who have sensory modulation difficulties. The service is to deliver a workshop providing generic information about sensory modulation to parent / guardians (school staff can attend upon request). Children do not attend the workshop. Within the workshop parents / guardians are introduced to a range of commonly used generic sensory strategies to trial at home with their child.

 

The OT service does not provide individual assessments, treatment or written reports for children referred via the sensory strategy pathway as OT staff do not meet the child.

 

Who can refer? 

• Referrals into this pathway by DCD team therapists who has seen the child through the DCD pathway and identified possible modulation difficulties.
• Referrals accepted from Paediatricians, Psychiatrists and GP’s directly into service.

(If a diagnosis of developmental co-ordination disorder (DCD) is being considered and a motor skill assessment is required please refer via the OT DCD Pathway).

 

What is referral criteria?

• Children aged between 4 – 18 years in mainstream schools. In exceptional circumstances referrals for children outside this age range or children in special education school setting may be accepted.
• Children must be presenting with modulation difficulties, tactile sensitivity, auditory or visual sensitivity which is impacting on functional skill or learning.
• Please consider when making referrals to the sensory service whether the child is displaying symptoms commonly seen in children with Autism (e.g. stimming) rather than sensory behaviours.
• The referral form must indicate how the sensory difficulties impact on daily life and functional skills.

 

What we do not provide

The service will not accept referrals for the following:

• Feeding problems in isolation of any other sensory needs
• Olfactory problems
• Auditory problems which are very specific to loud noises such as bells, sirens, fireworks. Referrals will be accepted for children who cannot engage in activities such as going to the supermarket or parties, being in the playground, dining room or classroom.
• Tactile problems which involve the child touching things inappropriately, minor clothing intolerances such as not liking socks or certain types of fabric, labels, or tight clothing but the child is still able to wear a range of different clothing. Child can manage with minor adjustments e.g. seamless socks, labels cut out etc.