Professor Beth Hands. |
Camera IconProfessor Beth Hands. | Credit: Supplied/Elle Borgward

Hands on help

Staff ReporterFremantle Gazette

University of Notre Dame professor Beth Hands said living with DCD could not only affect a person’s physical wellbeing, but also significantly affect their mental health.

‘Imagine no one wanted to play with you, you were bullied and ostracised and unable to play in the sporting teams, which is a wonderful form of socialisation particularly during adolescence,’ she said.

‘Research has shown children and adolescents with DCD have lower self-|perceptions, higher anxiety levels and incidence of depressions, lower self-esteem.’

The condition will be the topic of discussion at a public seminar at Notre Dame next month titled Moving for the Future: Living with Developmental Co-ordination Disorder.

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Dr Hands will be joined at the forum by several professors from Notre Dame, Curtin University and the Netherlands, as well as Jodie Armstrong, the research co-|ordinator at Developmental Occupational Therapy Inc.

She said the forum was aimed at teaching parents, families and health professionals more about the disorder.