Percepção materna do desempenho de crianças com transtorno do desenvolvimento da coordenação

Children who have difficulty doing daily tasks that require motor skills may have specific motor coordination problems, known nowadays as Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). In Brazil, this diagnosis is used very seldom although it is much used in the international literature. The aim of this study was to investigate the perception of Brazilian mothers concerning the daily performance of children with motor coordination disorder. Five interviews were conducted and submitted to content analysis. The narratives showed that all informants perceive difficulties in the performance of daily activities in their children and in the relationship with peers, and these difficulties are more evident with the entrance in school. These findings highlight the unawareness about motor coordination problems and opportunities for getting help, as well as reinforce the need for more information and to value mother's perceptions.