The term dyspraxia comes from the word praxis, which means 'doing, acting'. Dyspraxia affects the planning of what to do and how to do it. It is associated with problems of perception, language and thought.
Dyspraxia is thought to affect up to ten per cent of the population and up to two per cent severely. Males are four times more likely to be affected than females. Dyspraxia sometimes runs in families
Other names for dyspraxia include Developmental Co-ordination Disorder (DCD), Perceptuo-Motor Dysfunction, and Motor Learning Difficulties. It used to be known as Minimal Brain Damage and Clumsy Child Syndrome.
Statistically, it is likely that there is one child in every class of 30 children. We need to make sure that everyone understands and knows how best to help this significant minority.
For the majority of those with the condition, there is no known cause. Current research suggests that it is due to an immaturity of neurone development in the brain rather than to brain damage. People with dyspraxia have no clinical neurological abnormality to explain their condition.
The pre-school child
Is late in reaching milestones e.g. rolling over, sitting, standing, walking, and speaking
May not be able to run, hop, jump, or catch or kick a ball although their peers can do so
Has difficulty in keeping friends; or judging how to behave in company
Has little understanding of concepts such as 'in', 'on', 'in front of' etc
Has difficulty in walking up and down stairs
Poor at dressing
Slow and hesitant in most actions
Appears not to be able to learn anything instinctively but must be taught skills
Falls over frequently
Poor pencil grip
Cannot do jigsaws or shape sorting games
Artwork is very immature
The school age child
Probably has all the difficulties experienced by the pre-school child with dyspraxia, with little or no improvement
Avoids PE and games
Does badly in class but significantly better on a one-to -one basis
Reacts to all stimuli without discrimination and attention span is poor
May have trouble with maths and writing structured stories
Experiences great difficulty in copying from the blackboard
Writes laboriously and immaturely
Unable to remember and /or follow instructions
Is generally poorly organised
Although dyspraxia may be diagnosed at any stage of life, increasing numbers of children are identified as having the condition.
Early recognition of dyspraxia will enable early intervention and practical steps to help your child to achieve their potential. Children whose dyspraxia is identified at an early stage are less likely to have problems with acceptance by their peers and with lowered self-esteem.
When children become teenagers their problems may change as social and organisational difficulties become more pressing.
The Dyspraxia Foundation can help and support you and your child through its services and publications.
Many parents feel guilt and anger about their child's condition. It is important to recognise that dyspraxia is not anyone's fault. Although there is no cure there are many things that you can do to give practical help and support to your child.
Occupational therapists (OTs) work in partnership with the children and their families to consider their individual concerns and expectations. Their assessment may be carried out at the child's home or school, or in a clinic setting. It will include gathering information from the child and his/her family and where appropriate, the child's teachers and other people who know the child well. The child is usually observed carrying out activities that they find challenging. The OT may also carry out some standardised tests to assess the child's fine motor, gross motor, perceptual and sensory motor abilities in comparison to other children of the same age. OTs are also aware that difficulties in these areas can mean that the child has difficulty concentrating or making friends, and that this can affect their self esteem.
OTs can help children to succeed in everyday activities by:
Helping children to develop specific skills, for example through fine motor activities or a special handwriting programme.
Suggesting changes to the child's environment. This might include suggesting the child is positioned differently in the classroom to reduce distractions or that he/she uses a different chair at meal times.
Suggesting different ways of doing things, like using a different pencil, trying a computer or teaching new ways to tie shoe laces.
Some OTs specialise in providing sensory integration therapy while others follow a neuro-developmental or sensory-motor approach. However they are all concerned with helping the child to manage everyday activities at home and school, and encouraging a child's participation in hobbies and leisure interests.
All info from http://Www.dyspraxiafoundation.org.uk
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