There is no single cause. It is thought to be a problem with the way connections develop between some of the nerve pathways in the brain. There may be a genetic component and premature babies seem to be at greater risk. It can also occur after damage to the brain due to illness, a stroke or an accident.
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 most commonly caused by stroke or acquired brain injury. There are 2 types of Dyspraxia: (1) Oral dyspraxia– difficulty with non-verbal tasks - when asked to do so (E.g. please poke out your tongue), however the person can perform non-verbal tasks successfully and automatically (E.g. licking an ice cream).
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 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.
Many children with autism spectrum disorders will exhibit symptoms of dyspraxia, and vice-versa. Shared symptoms may include difficulties with spoken language, sensitivity to light and noise, problems concentrating, and others.
Autism is very strongly associated with these conditions, although you can have Dyslexia or Dyspraxia without having autism. It is less clear whether you have have ADHD without autism, or whether it is a kind of autism. Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, and ADHD are so often diagnosed along with autism.
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).
Answer: The basic answer is no. Studies show that motor difficulties don't simply disappear as kids get older. However, effective interventions can reduce the impact of dyspraxia on daily life skills.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The effects of dyspraxia
The emotional impact of dealing with the symptoms of dyspraxia and the social isolation that some individuals feel can result in mental health difficulties. Anxiety and depression are fairly common in individuals with dyspraxia.
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).
Dyspraxia often co-occurs with ADHD, but the two conditions are separate. Luckily, there are support groups, online resources, and coping skills for dyspraxic individuals seeking a diagnosis.
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.
In Dyspraxia, it is believed that the motor neurons haven't developed properly and therefore, can't form proper connections and it takes longer for the brain to process data. In other words, only part of the message is getting through and the bit that does come through usually arrives late.
Myth #4: Kids with dyspraxia tend to have low intelligence.
Fact: There's no connection between dyspraxia and IQ . Having dyspraxia doesn't mean a child isn't intelligent. However, the way kids with dyspraxia behave might make them appear less capable than they are.
Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) or Dyspraxia is commonly associated with difficulties with movement, when in fact there are many strengths associated with this neurotype. Big picture thinking, problem solving, tenacity, creativity and empathy are all qualities associated with DCD.
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.