A five-year-old boy received treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (adhd). In connection with his motor problems he was referred to a rehabilitation centre specialising in the study and treatment of developmental coordination disorder (dcd). When treating a patient with adhd, doctors should ask regularly about the patient’s motor functioning and, if necessary, arrange a referral. In the first instance a young patient should be referred to a paediatric physiotherapist or, if the problems are complex, referral should be to a paediatric rehabilitation doctor. A combination of adhd and dcd has a poorer prognosis than adhd alone.