Are girls more likely to have Developmental Coordination Disorder?

One of the most common questions parents ask is whether their daughter is as likely as a son to have coordination difficulties — and the honest answer surprises many.

In short

Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is currently identified more often in boys than in girls — most clinical figures suggest somewhere around two to three boys for every girl. But here's the important nuance: this likely reflects who gets noticed and referred, not simply who has the condition. Girls' coordination difficulties are often quieter, less disruptive, and more easily missed — which means a girl who struggles with handwriting, sport or everyday motor tasks deserves exactly the same careful look as a boy.

Why the numbers may not tell the whole story

DCD (ICD-11 code 6A04) affects how a child plans and coordinates movement — buttoning a shirt, catching a ball, forming letters, riding a cycle — beyond what's expected for their age, and not explained by another medical condition.

The higher rate recorded in boys is real in referral data, but researchers consistently flag a referral and recognition bias:

• Boys' difficulties more often show up as visible restlessness or frustration that prompts a teacher or parent to seek help.
• Girls may compensate quietly, avoid sport, or work harder at fine-motor tasks — so their struggle stays hidden longer.
• Tools and expectations have historically been shaped around boys' presentations.

The practical takeaway: do not let your daughter's gender lower your concern. If she avoids drawing, tires quickly with handwriting, seems clumsy, or finds dressing and self-care harder than her peers, that pattern is worth assessing — in a girl just as much as a boy.

When to seek a developmental check

Consider a structured assessment if motor difficulties:

• persist across settings (home and school),
• interfere with everyday tasks, play, handwriting or self-care, and
• aren't simply down to lack of practice.

The Pinnacle way

A clinical AbilityScore® and any diagnosis are formed only at a Pinnacle Blooms Network centre, under qualified clinician care — never from an online form. Our occupational therapy teams look closely at the quieter presentations that are so often missed in girls, so support is matched to the child in front of us. Start here to understand where your child stands today.

Trusted sources

WHO ICD-11 classification of Developmental Motor Coordination Disorder; American Academy of Pediatrics guidance on developmental coordination and motor concerns; EACD international clinical recommendations on DCD recognition and assessment.

Next step — If your daughter (or son) struggles with everyday coordination, book a developmental check with a Pinnacle clinician.

This is general information, not a diagnosis — individual assessment and diagnosis require an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.