Dyspraxia is a neurological disorder that impacts an individual’s ability to plan and process motor tasks. Individuals with dyspraxia often have language problems, and sometimes a degree of difficulty with thought and perception. 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.
A person with dyspraxia finds it difficult to plan what to do, and how to do it. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) describes people with dyspraxia as being “out of sync” with their environment. Experts say that about 10 percent of people have some degree of dyspraxia, while approximately 2 percent have it severely. Four out of every 5 children with evident dyspraxia are boys, although there is some debate as to whether dyspraxia might be under-diagnosed in girls. According to the National Health Service, United Kingdom, many children with dyspraxia also have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Symptoms of dyspraxia: Symptoms tend to vary depending on the age of the individual. Some of the general symptoms of dyspraxia include: poor balance, poor posture, fatigue, clumsiness, differences in speech, perception problems, poor hand-eye coordination.
Diagnosis of dyspraxia: A diagnosis of dyspraxia can be made by a clinical psychologist, an educational psychologist, a pediatrician, or an occupational therapist. Any parent who suspects their child may have dyspraxia should see their doctor. When carrying out an assessment, details will be required regarding the child’s developmental history, intellectual ability, and gross and fine motor skills:
Gross motor skills – how well the child uses large muscles that coordinate body movement, including jumping, throwing, walking, running, and maintaining balance.
Fine motor skills – how well the child can use smaller muscles, including tying shoelaces, doing up buttons, cutting out shapes with a pair of scissors, and writing.
The evaluator will need to know when and how developmental milestones, such as walking, crawling, and speaking were reached. The child will be evaluated for balance, touch sensitivity, and variations on walking activities.
CAUSES OF DYSPRAXIA: Scientists do not know what causes dyspraxia. Experts believe the person’s nerve cells that control muscles (motor neurons) are not developing correctly. If motor neurons cannot form proper connections, for whatever reason, the brain will take much longer to process data. Experts at the Disability and Dyslexia Service at the Queen Mary University of London, U.K., say that studies suggest dyspraxia may be caused by an immaturity of neuron development in the brain, rather than any specific brain damage. A report from the University of Hull in England says that dyspraxia is “probably hereditary: several genes have been implicated. Often, there are many members within a family who are similarly affected.”
FOUR TREATMENTS FOR DYSPRAXIA: Although dyspraxia is not curable, with treatment, the individual can improve. However, the earlier a child is diagnosed, the better their prognosis will be. The following specialists most commonly treat people with dyspraxia:
1. Occupational therapy: An occupational therapist will evaluate how the child manages with everyday functions both at home and at school. They will then help the child develop skills specific to daily activities which they find difficult.
2. Speech and language therapy: The speech-language pathologist will conduct an assessment of the child’s speech, and then implement a treatment plan to help them to communicate more effectively.
3. Perceptual motor training: This involves improving the child’s language, visual, movement, and auditory skills. The individual is set a series of tasks that gradually become more advanced – the aim is to challenge the child so that they improve, but not so much that it becomes frustrating or stressful.
4. Equine therapy for dyspraxia: In a study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, a team of Irish, British, and Swedish researchers evaluated the effects of equine therapy (therapeutic horse-riding) on a group of 40 children aged 6-15 years with dyspraxia. The children participated in six horse-riding sessions lasting 30 minutes each, as well as two 30-minute audiovisual screening sessions. They found that riding therapy stimulated and improved the participants’ cognition, mood, and gait parameters. The authors added that “the data also pointed to the potential value of an audiovisual approach to equine therapy.”
Bonus:
Active Play: Experts say that active play – any play that involves physical activity – which can be outdoors or inside the home, helps improve motor activity. Play is a way children learn about the environment and about themselves, and particularly for children aged 3-5; it is a crucial part of their learning. Active play is where a very young child’s physical and emotional learning, their development of language, their special awareness, the development of what their senses are, all come together. The more children are involved in active play, the better they will become at interacting with other children successfully.
Always remember to see your GP if you notice any of the mentioned symptoms. Please do not panic!
