Motor Skills affected by Dyspraxia

• Communication: Children with dyspraxia may struggle with different aspects of speech. They can have trouble pronouncing words or expressing their ideas. They may also have trouble adjusting the pitch and volume of their voice. 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. This can create problems with making friends, and kids can become anxious about socializing with others, especially as they get older. Their difficulties with sports may also affect their self-esteem and social abilities.
• Academics: Children with dyspraxia often have difficulty writing quickly. This can create a number of challenges in the classroom, such as trouble taking notes and finishing tests on time. Children who have speech difficulties may also have difficulty with reading and spelling.
• Overall life skills: Dyspraxia can make it hard to master everyday tasks needed for independence. In elementary school, children may still need help in buttoning their shirt or brushing their teeth. As teens, they could have trouble learning to drive a car or fry an egg.

Source: UNESCO MGIEP, www.understood.org

Myth #1: Dyspraxia is extremely rare.

Fact: Dyspraxia often goes undiagnosed and unrecognized, but itis believed to be relatively common. An estimated 6 to 10 percent of children have some features of dyspraxia. It can go by many names, including developmental coordination disorder and motor learning difficulty.

Myth #2: Kids with dyspraxia are just being clumsy.

Fact: Children with dyspraxia typically have trouble with motor skills. This might make them appear to just be clumsy or “out of sync” with their environment—but there is more to it than that. Because of their dyspraxia, kids can have trouble controlling their muscles. This includes small muscles, like the ones in their hands. This can make everyday tasks like writing and brushing their teeth a struggle. It can also make them seem uncoordinated, immature and socially awkward.

Myth #3: Dyspraxia is the same as dysgraphia.

Fact: Dyspraxia and dysgraphia can cause similar or overlapping struggles with writing. But they are different conditions. Dyspraxia causes problems with fine motor skills, including the physical task of printing and writing.

Most children with dysgraphia struggle with printing and handwriting, too. But children with dysgraphia can also experience difficulties with spelling and organizing thoughts when writing or typing. For example, kids with dysgraphia might struggle to share their thoughts in writing, even when they know what they want to say. The end result could be full of errors and barely legible.

Myth #4: Children with dyspraxia tend to have low intelligence.

Fact: There is no connection between dyspraxia and low IQ. Having dyspraxia does not mean a child isn’t intelligent. However, the way children with dyspraxia behave might make them appear less capable than they are. For example, they may not do well with fine motor tasks like drawing, writing and everyday activities like tying shoes. Essentially, children with dyspraxia can have a hard time getting their bodies to keep up with their brains.

Myth #5: There aren’t any treatments for dyspraxia.

Fact: There is no cure for dyspraxia, and children do not outgrow it. However, children do get better at doing certain tasks over time with lots of practice and feedback. Occupational therapy and speech therapy, along with other tools and strategies, may help improve symptoms. For older children, learning to use a keyboard may help with writing. Technology tools like dictation software can also be a great help.

Source: www.understood.org