The impact of developmental coordination disorder on educational achievement in secondary school.

The cohort was followed from birth, but 329 children were classified with DCD at 7-8 years and only 284 had GCSE data at 16; those without GCSE data tended to have higher IQ and higher maternal education, and missing covariate data were most extensive in the models using social communication and hyperactivity/inattention. The study is observational, so it cannot show that DCD caused lower GCSE attainment. The DCD group also differed from controls in sex, prematurity, birthweight, family adversity and IQ. DCD was classified at 7-8 years using adapted DSM-IV-TR criteria and cohort-specific centiles, and motor competence was not measured again in adolescence, so some adolescents may no longer have significant motor deficits. The educational data were linked only for pupils in state-funded schools in England, so children in Wales or independent schools were not included. The SEN analysis only recorded whether formal support was provided, not the level, type or likely effectiveness of that support; the subgroup finding that DCD adolescents with SEN support did worse than controls with SEN support may reflect more severe or multiple difficulties rather than a harmful effect of support.

The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The study did not receive a specific grant; core support for the ALSPAC cohort came from the UK Medical Research Council, the Wellcome Trust and the University of Bristol.

Do not read this as proof that DCD by itself causes poor GCSE results or that treating motor skills will raise attainment. The association weakened and was not clearly retained after adjusting for reading, social communication and hyperactivity/inattention, and no intervention was tested.