A disorder that is characterized by difficulty in muscle control, which causes problems with movement and coordination, language and speech, and can affect learning. Although not a learning disability, Dyspraxia often exists along with Dyslexia,
Dyspraxia means that movement and coordination are affected. The main problem is that messages from the brain are not being reliably transmitted to the body. So in reality, dyspraxia does not directly change intelligence.
Types of learning difficulty
People who have dyslexia can find it hard to read, write and spell. , attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyspraxia and dyscalculia. A person can have one, or a combination. As with learning disability, learning difficulties can also exist on a scale.
Dyspraxia is a form of developmental coordination disorder (DCD) affecting fine and/or gross motor coordination in children and adults, often occurring alongside dyslexia. Current research suggests that it is due to an immaturity of neurone development in the brain rather than to brain damage.
You may find routine tasks difficult. If you have dyspraxia it may affect: your co-ordination, balance and movement. how you learn new skills, think, and remember information at work and home.
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.
Research suggests that: Around 50% of people with dyspraxia/DCD also have ADHD. Around 10% of people with dyspraxia/DCD show signs of autism while around 80% of children with autism have movement difficulties consistent with a diagnosis of dyspraxia/DCD.
Many Australian children struggle with dyspraxia, a condition that disrupts the messages that travel from a child's brain to the muscles of their body. Dyspraxia (also called apraxia) is a neurologically based developmental disability that is typically present from birth.
For children under 7 in Australia, a formal diagnosis of DCD can form the basis for an Early Child Early Intervention Plan with the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
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.
Motor Skills affected by Dyspraxia
As a result, making friends and being social can be much harder. Emotional/behavioral skills: Children with dyspraxia may behave immaturely. They may easily become overwhelmed in group settings.
Tend to get stressed, depressed and anxious easily. May have difficulty sleeping. Prone to low self-esteem, emotional outbursts, phobias, fears, obsessions, compulsions and addictive behaviour.
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. The brain does not process information in a way that allows for a full transmission of neural messages.
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.
You can apply for Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA) if you have a disability or condition that affects your ability to study, such as a: learning difficulty, such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, or ADHD.
Since you can treat and manage ADHD with medication and psychotherapy, the organisation doesn't list this disorder as a disability. Currently, the National Disability Insurance Scheme doesn't consider ADHD a permanent disability or impairment.
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.
Although its effects on people may change over time, dyspraxia is a lifelong difference in the way the brain functions. Dyspraxia is not an illness that can be 'cured' and it does not affect intelligence. Dyspraxic people may face significant challenges at work.
6) Consider disclosing
“You're not legally required to disclose dyspraxia (ie. to tell a potential employer that you are dyspraxic) and there is no hard-and-fast rule about when to disclose. It depends on the job and how much support you think you might need in the application process.
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.
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.
Controlling movements and coordinating limbs are essential skills for driving. However, for people with dyspraxia, this can be an uphill task. Operating the car pedals, gears, and steering wheel can become extremely difficult, making clutch control, gear changes, steering, and braking a real struggle.