Characteristics of sensory processing changes in children with developmental coordination disorder: A systematic review.
Kids who dodge touch and swings often have DCD—add sensory-friendly motor drills right away.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Weber et al. (2025) looked at every paper that tested sensory processing in kids with developmental coordination disorder.
They kept only five studies, but these studies used gold-standard sensory checklists and motor tests.
All kids had a DCD diagnosis and were under 12 years old.
What they found
Most kids with DCD pulled away from light touch and from swinging or spinning.
These tactile and vestibular avoidances showed up as early as preschool.
The review says these patterns are common enough to flag during intake.
How this fits with other research
Bieber et al. (2016) found the same kids also score low on fine-motor tools like the Movement ABC-2.
Cheng et al. (2014) linked those low motor scores to visual-perception problems, so DCD now looks like a triple profile: touch avoidant, motion avoidant, and visually confused.
Mulder et al. (2020) saw mixed sensory patterns in rare genetic syndromes, but Duque’s DCD group was more predictable; the clash is only about diagnosis, not about method.
Case-Smith et al. (2015) warned that sensory toys rarely help kids with autism; Duque’s data say DCD kids need movement exposure, not toys, so the takeaway differs by diagnosis.
Why it matters
If a child trips and also hates tags in shirts, screen for DCD and start gentle touch and motion activities.
Add tactile play and slow swinging to your session plan while you wait for the full motor evaluation.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: Sensory processing difficulties are common in neurodevelopment conditions, such as developmental coordination disorder (DCD), and can significantly impact daily living activities. AIMS: To systematically review the literature to (1) synthesize the characteristics (sections and patterns) of sensory processing alterations in children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD), (2) compare these characteristics with those of children with typical development or associated comorbidities, and (3) identify which characteristics may be present from early childhood. METHODS: This systematic review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) and was submitted and registered in PROSPERO. The literature search was conducted in the MEDLINE/PubMed, Web of Science, Scopul, SciELO, LILACS, ERIC, and EMBASE databases. Original studies that evaluated the sensory processing of children with DCD aged 3-12 years using standardized instruments were included. RESULTS: A total of 2609 studies were retrieved from databases. Of these, five studies that identified sensory processing alterations in children with DCD were included. The most affected sensory characteristics were touch and balance and motion sections, and the avoider pattern, which may present behaviors observed in early childhood. The methodological quality of studies ranged from moderate to high, whereas effect sizes ranged from small to moderate. CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review identified that children with DCD or probable DCD presented sensory processing alterations. Further studies with high methodological quality are needed to recommend the sensory processing characteristics impacting the early identification of DCD.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2025 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2025.104917