What is Dyspraxia?

Dyspraxia is a condition that has an impact on the early development of motor skills, and manifests in delayed language development, poor articulation, and poor listening skills. Despite these difficulties, adults and children with dyspraxia have normal or even above average intellectual abilities.

In children, the symptoms of dyspraxia include learning difficulties, poor handwriting, difficulties with fine motor skills, eating, dressing, and toileting. Children with dyspraxia are often described as clumsy or accident prone. They can perform in certain areas of sport, but struggle with the ability to learn, plan and carry out skilled or seldom-used tasks requiring motor skills.

When writing children with dyspraxia require an immense effort to achieve and keep up with their peers. In class they are often described as inconsistent, one day being able to carry out a certain task, but the following day showing confusion and an inability to perform the same task.

For older children with dyspraxia it is often counter-productive to persist with handwriting training programmes. The use of modern technology has been found to be an effective tool to support these children with their requirements and progress at school.

Adults with dyspraxia describe difficulties in planning a sequence of actions and/or accurately retrieving or storing sensory information. This often manifests with high levels of disorganization, a poor ability to multi-task, the need to repeat routines obsessively, lack of perseverance, and a general feeling of fatigue in the absence of other medical conditions.

Pro Ed understand the importance of identifying dyspraxia early in order to instigate specific and relevant intervention programmes, e.g. occupational therapy, which can address symptoms, such as fatigue, poor posture, messy handwriting, frustration, loss of focus, low self-esteem and lack of confidence.