What three stages are needed to activate memory and attention in kids with DCD?

• A. Attention; Memory; Perception
• B. Stimulus identification; Response selection; Response programming
• C. Movement execution; Feedback
• D. Cueing; Decision making; Action

Answer: (B)

The key idea is the three-stage processing model for initiating a motor response. First, stimulus identification is where the child detects and interprets the environmental cues, which relies on attention. Next is response selection, where a decision is made about what action to take based on goals, rules, and memory of prior experiences. Finally, response programming translates that chosen action into detailed motor commands—planning the exact muscle activations, timing, and sequencing needed to move.

In kids with DCD, trouble often lies in how these stages link together. If identifying the stimulus is slow, if the child struggles to hold task rules in memory while deciding what to do, or if the motor program is poorly organized, movement becomes inefficient or clumsy. Therefore, the sequence that best fits activating memory and attention to produce a coordinated action is stimulus identification, followed by response selection, then response programming.

Other options mix broader concepts (like attention, perception, or execution) without matching the distinct three-step sequence that leads from perception to motor command in a smooth, organized way.