WHAT IS DYSPRAXIA?

‘Developmental Dyspraxia is the result of neurological immaturity which affects the function of the right hemisphere and consequently the individual shows evidence of auditory and/or visual perceptual difficulties, motor planning and organisation’                              Madeleine Portwood

The term Dyspraxia comes from the Greek words:

dys – poor

praxis – movement

Dyspraxia may also be known as Development Co-ordination Disorder (DCD). Problems arise in the process of forming ideas, motor planning and execution, since people with Dyspraxia have poor understanding of the messages their senses convey and difficulty relating those messages to actions. This means physical activities are hard to learn, difficult to retain, and hesitant and awkward in performance. The Central Cortex remaining in a state of immaturity may help to explain the many difficulties experienced.

Dyspraxia affects each person in different ways and at different stages of development. How an individual is affected is inconsistent, too. There may be some days, or phases, where they can do things better than at other times. It is easy to think "they could do it yesterday, so they must be able to do it today". This is not necessarily the case as they seem to have "good days" and "bad days". It is as though their central nervous systems can "get things together" better at some times than at others. Tension also obviously has an adverse effect on performance, and undue pressure should therefore be avoided.

People with Dyspraxia are of normal intelligence.

Causes of Dyspraxia

The cause of Dyspraxia is unknown but it can often run in families.  There is a high probability of additional difficulties such as ADHD and Dyslexia.

Symptoms of Dyspraxia

l  Children with Dyspraxia may be late in reaching milestones, may find it hard to walk up and down stairs, and may not be able to dress easily, especially tying show laces. Their speech may be immature or unintelligible in their early years. Language may be impaired or late to develop.

l  At school, a child with Dyspraxia may have difficulty with maths such as rote learning and sequencing. They may experience difficulties in getting their thoughts on to paper. Layout and organisation, or direction and flow may be affected. They may have poor visual tracking so are unable to copy quickly and effectively from the board. They may be poorly organised or have a short attention span. They may find it hard to remember and follow instructions. They may have poor self-esteem and a lack of confidence, making it difficult to form friendships. Poor handwriting is one of the most common symptoms. 

l  Adults with dyspraxia often find routine daily tasks such as personal grooming, driving and household chores challenging. They may find it hard to cope at work and opt out of doing things they find difficult. They may experience problems riding bicycles and playing certain sports. Their gait may be clumsy.

Many Dyspraxic learners are:

l  Creative

l  Determined

l  Hard working

l  Very caring

Diagnosing dyspraxia

Dyspraxia is often described as a hidden problem, because people with the condition appear no different to those who don't have it.

It is given that:

l  6% of the population may be Dyspraxic

l  Of these 2% may be severe

l  The ratio of boys: girls is 4:1

Health Service provision can be accessed according to local referral policy. This may be through a General Practitioner, a paediatric consultant, a health visitor and a teacher. Each area will vary. There may be a medical assessment in order to ensure there are no other medical problems.

It can be diagnosed by:

l  An occupational therapist will look at fine motor and perceptual skills, together with activities of daily living, such as dressing or using cutlery.

l  A paediatric physiotherapist will look at gross motor skills and the mechanics of movement.

l  A speech and language therapist will look at all aspects of speech, language and communication skills in accordance with an age appropriate developmental pattern.

l  An educational psychologist will look at the general and specific intellectual development and consider evidence of visuo-spatial language and learning aspects.

l  A behavioural optometrist will look at the developmental sequence of learning and growth within the human visual system and its interaction with, and dependence upon, the other sensory-motor systems of the body.

Treatments for dyspraxia:

Treatment concentrates on the person's strengths and not their weaknesses. It is important to boost their self-esteem and confidence. All treatment programmes are tailor made to meet the needs of the individual. Intervention may be through other means such as using management techniques or effecting small environmental changes.

It's not possible to cure dyspraxia, but those affected can learn ways to get around their difficulties so they can achieve their full potential. At least 50% still have problems in their teenage years.

There are statutory, voluntary and private organisations nationwide which can help.

Child Development Centres - these may be community or hospital based and services are provided through the Health Service. The team at these Centres may consist of an occupational therapist, a physiotherapist, a speech and language therapist and a paediatrician.

Private Services - A new initiative that is a collaborative approach of health and education has recently been launched in Cardiff, South Wales. The team at the Dyscovery Centre consists of an occupational therapist, a physiotherapist, a speech and language therapist, an educational psychologist, a behavioural optometrist, specialist teachers, and a General Practitioner.

Voluntary - The Dyspraxia Foundation is a voluntary body, which has been established for 10 years. It aims to support and provide information for children / adults with Dyspraxia, families and professionals.

What about drugs?

Drugs are not useful with Dyspraxia.