Dyspraxia in Children

Development Coordination Disorder (DCD), also known as dyspraxia, is a neurological lifelong condition affecting physical coordination. It is not related to intelligence and can affect people in various ways. Dyspraxia can cause a child to perform less well than expected for their age in daily activities, and appear to be more clumsy. Early developmental milestones, like crawling and walking may be delayed in children with dyspraxia, and skills such as drawing, writing and performance in sports are also usually behind what is expected for their age. Children can also experience difficulties with organisation, attention, planning, memory, and processing speed, while some have difficulties with speech and language. 

Recognising dyspraxia in your child is the first step toward helping them overcome its challenges, and early intervention and proper support can significantly improve a child’s abilities and self-esteem. Here are some common signs to look for:

• Motor coordination difficulties: Dyspraxic children often have trouble with tasks requiring coordinated movements, like using utensils, tying shoes, or buttoning clothes. They may appear clumsy or uncoordinated while attempting these activities.
• Delayed milestones: A dyspraxic child may reach developmental milestones such as crawling, walking, dressing, self-feeding, and speaking later than their peers.
• Handwriting issues: Dyspraxia often leads to poor handwriting, with letters and words appearing messy and difficult to read.
• Balance and spatial awareness problems: Children with dyspraxia may struggle with balance and have trouble navigating through spaces, such as avoiding bumping into objects or people.
• Difficulty with sports and play: Dyspraxic children may find it challenging to participate in sports, as they might have difficulty catching, throwing, or kicking a ball. They may also avoid activities like climbing or swinging.
• Organisation and planning challenges: Dyspraxia can affect a child’s ability to organise tasks and plan their daily routines, leading to forgetfulness and seeming to be disorganised.
• Sensory sensitivities: Some dyspraxic children may experience heightened sensitivities to sensory stimuli such as light, sound, or texture.

Getting a Diagnosis

Dyspraxia can be a standalone condition but is often accompanied by other conditions, such as hypermobile joints, dyslexia, dyscalculia (a learning difficulty that affects a person’s ability to learn or understand maths), ADHD, or Asperger’s Syndrome. So a diagnosis at an early age is important. Talk to your child’s GP about your concerns. They can refer them to an occupational therapist who will ask for a medical and social history, and make an assessment using a variety of standardised tests including motor skills, handwriting, sensory processing, and visual-motor coordination (common activities that require the use of visual motor skills include colouring within the lines and catching or hitting a ball). If the assessment confirms a diagnosis of dyspraxia, the therapist will provide recommendations and guidance on adjustments that can be made and support that can be given to help your child achieve their full potential at school and at home.

Supporting Dyspraxic Children

• Make changes at home that encourage increased self-reliance and independence, such as elasticated trousers, shoes with no laces, and clothing with user-friendly fastenings.
• Give your child lots of opportunities to regularly practise various activities and exercises by involving them in tasks such as folding clothes, mopping the floor, and encouraging simple games such as hopscotch, catch, or skittles. As your child improves, increase the difficulty of the task, for example, catching a smaller ball.
• Use your child’s interests as inspiration for activities that will benefit them. For example, if they enjoy cooking – rolling dough for biscuits, using scissors to cut the dough, and then decorating the biscuits once baked. 
• Offering encouragement, being positive, and patient, and giving praise for any small advances your child makes, are all important. The things that you find easy to do or learn are much harder for your child to master.
• Break down tasks into steps, making sure that your child knows what the goal is they are working towards, for example; the stages of zipping up their coat. Support them when they are learning how to do something, but gradually reduce how much help you give as they become more independent.
• Don’t rush your child. Dyspraxic children need more time to understand and process what they have been asked to do, so factoring in extra time is a good idea.
• Hand-eye coordination and spatial awareness can be improved with toys that are easier for children to handle, for example, inset puzzles with round knobs to hold rather than small pegs. Magnetic toys that provide some resistance will also help build hand strength.
• Balance, core strength, and flexibility can be helped by using balance boards and by doing activities such as yoga, swimming and gymnastics. These should be fun and matched with your child’s own pace and needs. 
• Children with dyspraxia may find it easier to write using a wide-bodied pen or pencil, or you can add a rubber grip to a normal-sized pen to make it wider. 
• Spending a long time writing things by hand can be frustrating for dyspraxic children. Typing on a keyboard is easier for them, and speech recognition systems can be really useful for them at school, allowing users to dictate or talk to a computer that will convert what is being sent into text.
• From a young age, teach your child to ask if they need help. Encourage them to ask questions like “Can you show me?”, “Can you tell me again?” or “I don’t understand what I need to do.” This gives them a strategy to use when they need help with planning what to do, rather than avoiding the activity or getting worried.
• Collaborate with your child’s school to ensure they receive the help they need to support their development and overall well-being.

Dyspraxia may pose challenges for children, but with early intervention and the right support, they can lead fulfilling lives. Being dyspraxic does not define your child’s potential or intelligence; it’s just one aspect of their unique identity. So embrace their strengths, celebrate their progress, and try to provide them with the tools they need to thrive. Some activities to try with children.