Motor Skills testing and Treatment Programme

What is the DCD pathway process?

• Following receipt of the medic referral, the parent/ guardian is required to complete a parent questionnaire.

• Once the completed questionnaire is received from the parent / guardian they are given the next available appointment to be seen by the Occupational Therapy Assistant at Cherry Tree House, Clatterbridge Hospital. During this 1-hour appointment the Test of Visual Perception (TVPS) and Visual Motor Integration (VMI) assessments are administered (screened as these skills form some of the foundations for handwriting development) – results interpreted and analysed by the Occupational Therapist prior to the next appointment. 

• In some circumstances the Occupational therapy team may make a clinical decision for the child to proceed directly to a motor skills assessment with an OT.  For those children who would not cope with 2 separate appointments due to severe anxiety it is more important to get the motor skills test completed. For those children with significant learning challenges were sitting and doing perception tests would be too challenging.

• Parent(s) / Guardians are sent an appointment letter for a motor skills assessment with an OT at Cherry Tree House, Clatterbridge Hospital. During the motor skills appointment the ABC-3 standardised motor skill assessment is completed. Assessment and feedback can take 90 minutes to 2 hours.

• A report will be produced within 10 working days of the completion of the assessment.

• Children who score below the 5^th centile (red zone - significant motor difficulty) will be offered motor skills group treatment sessions. Children must have sufficient attention/ level of maturity to cope with groups, if not, advice will be provided for home.

• Children between 6^th -15^th centile (amber zone - potential motor difficulty) will be offered motor skills group treatment sessions at the discretion of the assessing OT.

• Parent/ Guardian will be given an opt-in letter during motor skill appointment for the motor skills group treatment programme. They will then have 4 weeks to contact the OT service if they want to reserve a place on the programme. If no response within 4 weeks from the appointment date, they will be discharged from OT service.

• Motor skills group treatment sessions run for 9/ 10 weeks, 5 weeks for gross motor skills and 4 weeks for fine motor skills, each session lasting 45 minutes at Cherry Tree House, CGH. The 5^th week of fine motor session is an optional individual session and details given when fine motor sessions have commenced.

• On completion of the 9/ 10-week motor skills group treatment programme the child will be discharged from the OT service. Parents are advised to continue with activity programme provided. Please note that group treatment programme can only be accessed once and a re referral will not be accepted.