definition of dyspraxia

 

Definition of Dyspraxia

Picture - Boy falling over with trayOver the years, Dyspraxia has several names, and can also be called: 'Developmental Dyspraxia' or 'Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD)'.

 

Dyspraxia (pronounced:  Dis-prax-iah) affects between 5 percent to 10 percent of the population. It is a specific learning difficulty in motor-coordination (movement). Student's with dyspraxia may have difficulties with the simplest of tasks: developmental milestones are often delayed; fine and gross motor skills are affected.

 

As with other learning difficulties, it is important to recognise dyspraxia as soon as possible, before it impacts on a child’s self esteem. Just as there is no single set of signs that characterise all dyslexics, there is not thought to be one cause of dyspraxia.




definition of dyspraxia

‘A serious impairment in the development of motor or movement co-ordination that can’t be explained solely in terms of mental retardation or any other specific inherited or acquired neurological disorder.’

The Medical Journal


What a mouthful! I understand it to be ‘

‘If they persistently continue to fall over and are clumsy, well after their peers have stopped doing it’.

by Maria Chivers 2005



It is very important to recognise dyspraxia as soon as possible, before it impacts on a child’s self-esteem. Just as there is no single set of signs that characterise all dyslexics, there does not appear to be just one cause of dysgraphia.