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Dyspraxia is a term that refers to
a specific disorder in the area of motor skill development.
People with dyspraxia have difficulty planning and completing
intended fine motor tasks. It is estimated that dyspraxia
affects at least 2% of the general population to some degree
and about 70% of those affected by are male.
Dyspraxia can affect different areas of functioning, varying
from simple motor tasks such as waving goodbye to more complex
tasks like brushing teeth.
Dyspraxia is a lifelong disorder that
affects a person's development in the area of motor development.
Though many challenges can persist throughout a person's life,
the types of difficulties experienced can change.
Young Children
Babies with dyspraxia may avoid crawling
and rolling over, and may resist tasks involving motor skills.
As they get older these children are prone to:
- Difficulty with eye movements - they
may move the whole head instead of just the eyes
- Difficulty using eating utensils and
holding a cup while drinking
- Difficulty walking, hopping, skipping,
throwing and catching a ball, riding a bike
- Delay in using spoken language and speech
that is difficult to understand
- Bumping into objects
- Late establishment of laterality (right-
or left-handedness)
- Difficulty doing fine-motor activities
such as tying shoelaces or buttoning clothing
- Difficulty with handwriting
- Sensitivity to touch - may find clothing
uncomfortable; and may find hair-brushing and cutting, teeth-brushing
and nail-cutting unpleasant
- Poor sense of direction
School Aged Children
Dyspraxia can make it difficult for
children to develop social skills, and they may have trouble
getting along with peers. Though they are intelligent, these
children may seem immature and some may develop phobias and
obsessive behavior.
All young people must deal with their
rapidly changing bodies. However many young people with dyspraxia
may also have the added stress of dealing with coordination
problems, as well as speech and academic difficulties.
- Coordination difficulties can be particularly
problematic in physical education classes and other sports
activities.
- Speech difficulties can interfere with
casual conversation, which can result in social awkwardness
and an unwillingness to risk engaging in conversation.
- Writing difficulties such as poor letter
formation, pencil grip and slow writing can make school
work frustrating.
Teenagers & Adults
The challenges presented to adults
with dyspraxia can be seen in all aspects of everyday life.
Difficulties can have an impact on:
- Driving
- Completing household chores
- Cooking
- Personal grooming and self-help activities
- Manual dexterity needed for writing and
typing
- Speech control - volume, pitch and articulation
- Perception inconsistencies - over- or
under-sensitivity to light, touch, space, taste, smell.
It is important to note that a person
displaying the kind of difficulties outlined above does not
necessarily have dyspraxia. If a person continues to display
these types of difficulty over time, testing for dyspraxia by
trained professionals should be considered.
Dyspraxia and other developmental
difficulties
Though not always, dyspraxia often
co-exists with other learning disabilities, such as dyslexia
(difficulty reading, writing and spelling) and dyscalculia
(difficulty with mathematics); as well as AD/HD (attention
deficit hyperactivity disorder). The symptoms from these learning
disabilities can be similar to those of a person with dyspraxia;
and regardless of whether there is an overlap in disabilities,
the severity and range of difficulties can vary widely.
Other common difficulties facing people
with dyspraxia include low self-esteem, depression, mental
health problems and emotional and behavioral difficulties.
Weaknesses in comprehension, information processing and listening
can also contribute to the difficulties experienced by people
with dyspraxia.
There is no cure to dyspraxia, however
early intervention can help a person learn to deal with his
or her difficulties. Depending on the severity of the disability,
work with occupational, speech and physical therapists can
greatly improve a person's ability to function and succeed
independently.
Beginning at an early age, it is vital that parents offer
their child patience and encouragement. It can be very frustrating
to have difficulty communicating or moving, and a parent can
ease that frustration by offering help and support in overcoming
these difficulties.
All people with dyspraxia need help practicing simple tasks
and can benefit from step-by-step progress into more complex
activities. Encouraging easy physical activities that develop
coordination can increase confidence. It is also important
to encourage friendships to broaden a person's experience
and understanding of social relationships.
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