Individuals with dyspraxia will need more help and time when learning new tasks. They will likely benefit from visual demonstrations alongside verbal instructions. They will also benefit from extra opportunities to practise when learning a new skill or task.
Problems with movement and co-ordination are the main symptoms of DCD. Children may have difficulty with: playground activities such as hopping, jumping, running, and catching or kicking a ball. They often avoid joining in because of their lack of co-ordination and may find physical education difficult.
Causes of DCD
It's not usually clear why co-ordination doesn't develop as well as other abilities in children with DCD. However, a number of risk factors that can increase a child's likelihood of developing DCD have been identified. These include: being born prematurely, before the 37th week of pregnancy.
If they do not enjoy team games, try other sports such as tennis, badminton, golf, swimming, archery, fishing, sailing, table tennis, canoeing. They do not need to participate in competitive sport but just playing is a great way to exercise.
Dyspraxia does not affect your intelligence. It can affect your co-ordination skills – such as tasks requiring balance, playing sports or learning to drive a car. Dyspraxia can also affect your fine motor skills, such as writing or using small objects.
They are often creative and original thinkers as well as strategic problem solvers. However, some people with dyspraxia find it hard to achieve their true potential and may need extra support at work.
The praxis system is made up of a series of functions associated with particular areas of the brain including the frontal and parietal cortex, basal ganglia, and white matter tracts between these areas. These areas work together to produce the desired purposeful movement in order to perform the required action.
Does dyspraxia/DCD run in families? Dyspraxia/DCD seems to run in families in some cases, but to date, no specific gene has been identified. It is likely that there are many different causes of dyspraxia/DCD, and genetics may be one.
Dyspraxia is commonly identified alongside dyslexia – some reports even suggest that half of dyslexic children exhibit symptoms characteristic of dyspraxia. Attention difficulties and dyspraxia may also co-present, as can dyspraxia and autism spectrum disorder.
Poor, slow and effortful handwriting. Poor paper cutting skills. Difficulty in catching and throwing a ball. Poor at running, jumping, climbing and team sports.
Because dyspraxia often affects writing, reading and spelling abilities, a child with dyspraxia may require more time to process new tasks. They might also experience more success when they over-learn material through repetition and a graded step-by-step approach.
Tendency to become easily distressed and emotional. Sleeping difficulties, including wakefulness at night and nightmares. Growing awareness of difficulties, affecting confidence and self-esteem. May report physical symptoms such as headaches and feeling sick.
Teenagers with dyspraxia are significantly more likely to experience social and emotional difficulties compared to their peers. Similarly, adults with dyspraxia often experience social isolation and find it more difficult to succeed in the workplace.
Because dyspraxia is a developmental coordination condition, children with dyspraxia can struggle with maths. Due to the nature of dyspraxia, it can cause dyspraxic students to become easily distracted or overwhelmed when in a learning environment, and encounter difficulties following/remembering instructions.
While they do not get worse over time, their challenges may become more apparent with increasing academic demands. They have to work harder and/or differently than their peers to achieve the same goals. Despite their difficulties, pupils with dyspraxia can and do learn to perform some motor tasks quite well.
What is dyspraxia ? Children with dyspraxia have problems with smooth and coordinated movements. Dyspraxia is often present after a brain injury. Dyspraxia brought on by a brain injury can improve with time and therapy.
Fundamentally, autism is a disorder that affects socialization and communication, while dyspraxia affects motor skills and physical coordination. While coinciding symptoms aren't uncommon, the two are considered distinct disorders.
The exact cause of development disorder dyspraxia is unknown. However, it is speculated that injuries to the brain may result in dyspraxia. Injuries may occur while the baby is still within the womb. Sometimes it could be due to adequate development of the brain cells or due to lack of oxygen during birth.
Dyspraxia may be present in people with autism spectrum disorder, Asperger syndrome and dyslexia. Strokes or other trauma may cause dyspraxia (acquired dyspraxia) or it may be present from birth (developmental dyspraxia).
Dyspraxia as a hidden disability
Dyspraxia is considered to be a hidden disability as the physical signs can be difficult to recognise. Dyspraxia is also less well known and often misunderstood, many people with dyspraxia do not realise they have the condition until later in life.
Individuals with dyspraxia often have language problems, and sometimes a degree of difficulty with thought and perception. Dyspraxia, however, does not affect the person's intelligence, although it can cause learning problems in children. Developmental dyspraxia is an immaturity of the organization of movement.