Kine Johansen interviewed by the Swedish Brain Foundation about developmental coordination disorder (DCD)
In the interview, Kine Johansen emphasises the importance of early detection of motor difficulties and increased awareness of DCD, both within healthcare services and in society at large. Photo: Mikael Wallerstedt
U-CARE researcher and physiotherapist Kine Johansen is interviewed on the Swedish Brain Foundation’s website about developmental coordination disorder (DCD). In the interview, she and physiotherapist Maria Hanser describe DCD as a relatively unknown yet common neuropsychiatric condition that affects children’s motor skills, everyday functioning, and self-esteem.
DCD involves difficulties in planning, coordinating, and performing movements, which can affect everything from play and schoolwork to self-confidence and social participation. Although the condition is estimated to affect five to six percent of all children, it remains significantly underdiagnosed, which may result in children not receiving the support they need.
– DCD is common, but still relatively unknown in Sweden. Many children receive an incorrect diagnosis – or, more often, no diagnosis at all – which leads to a lack of support and unnecessary suffering, says Kine Johansen.
Miro Anter