The diagnostic trajectory of developmental coordination disorder in the Netherlands: Experiences of mothers.
Jessica M Lust, Imke L J Adams, Heleen A Reinders-Messelink and 3 others
PMID 34528720WHAT IT FOUND
Mothers of children with DCD were mostly satisfied with the diagnosis, yet 40% found the process stressful and it took about three years.
Satisfaction depended heavily on the diagnosing professional's manner and the support provided after the diagnosis.
Key findings
01Satisfaction with the diagnostic trajectory was primarily predicted by the perceived manner of the diagnosing professional and the satisfaction with post-diagnostic support.
02The average duration of the diagnostic trajectory was 33.5 months, and 45% of mothers consulted four or more health care professionals before obtaining the diagnosis.
03While 75% of mothers were satisfied with the trajectory, 40% rated the process as stressful or very stressful.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study included only mothers, so fathers' experiences are not represented. The sample lacked ethnic diversity, which may limit generalizability to multicultural populations. The survey did not distinguish between individual professionals and multidisciplinary teams, potentially skewing the count of professionals consulted. Participants were recruited via specific networks, which may introduce selection bias towards parents already engaged with support services. The study focused on parents of children with a confirmed diagnosis, excluding those who dropped out or did not receive a diagnosis, potentially missing negative experiences.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest and stated they did not receive support from any organization for the submitted work.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that a long diagnostic trajectory automatically leads to low parental satisfaction. While the trajectory averaged 33.5 months, 75% of mothers were still satisfied. Satisfaction was more strongly linked to the professional's manner and post-diagnostic support than to the duration itself.