ICD-11 Classification for Motor Planning Difficulties

Clinicians searching ICD-11 for "motor planning difficulties" won't find that exact phrase — but the construct maps cleanly onto a recognised code.

In short

Motor planning difficulties — the impaired ideation, sequencing and execution of novel, coordinated movement despite adequate strength, tone and sensation — are not a standalone ICD-11 term but a functional descriptor that maps to Developmental Motor Coordination Disorder, ICD-11 code 6A04, within the neurodevelopmental disorders block. The praxis-specific phenomenon often labelled dyspraxia is captured here when coordination performance falls substantially below age expectation and materially affects daily functioning. ICD-11 classifies it as a disorder of coordination acquisition, not a marker of intelligence or effort.

The classification, precisely

Within ICD-11's neurodevelopmental disorders grouping, 6A04 Developmental motor coordination disorder is defined by a significant delay in the acquisition of gross and fine motor skills, with motor performance below that expected for chronological age, onset in the developmental period, and exclusion of attributable neurological, intellectual, sensory or musculoskeletal conditions. Motor planning (praxis) — ideation, organisation and sequencing of unfamiliar motor acts — sits within this construct; difficulties may also be coded descriptively under the functioning lens using the WHO ICF where activity and participation limitations are the clinical focus. Where motor-planning concerns co-occur with autism (6A02), ADHD (6A05) or specific learning disorders (6A03), code each comorbidity per its own criteria rather than subsuming them.

When to refer

Refer for structured developmental-motor assessment when a child shows persistent clumsiness, difficulty learning new motor sequences, poor handwriting or self-care motor tasks, or activity limitation disproportionate to strength and tone — particularly if functioning at home, in play or at school is affected.

The Pinnacle way

Developmental measurement supports care planning; diagnosis requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional., under qualified clinician care — never from an online form or this explainer. Our clinician-administered structured assessment profiles motor planning alongside the other developmental domains, so a precise ICD-11 mapping translates into a workable plan. Explore occupational therapy for praxis support, see how the AbilityScore is established, or start here.

Trusted sources

WHO ICD-11 for Mortality and Morbidity Statistics (neurodevelopmental disorders, 6A04); WHO International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) for activity and participation coding.

Next step — Refer a child with persistent motor-coordination concerns for a Pinnacle clinician-led developmental assessment.

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