Dyspraxia

Tara Hamilton

Education 269: Teaching Students with Learning Disabilities

Instructor: Pam Sellers
3 February 2016

Is there a child in your class who struggles with physical skills such as jumping, running,
and handwriting? Do you feel that your child is not reaching milestones like crawling and sitting
that they should be at their age? You may have been told that this is normal and that you should
just wait and see or that the child is just a late bloomer. There is another possibility however:
Dyspraxia. Dyspraxia is a little known yet common disorder that affects mostly affects children
however it can be seen in some adults as well. While there is no cure for dyspraxia, there are
treatments and strategies that can be used to help manage the symptoms, but first it is important
to know what dyspraxia is.
A medical definition of dyspraxia is an impairment of, or difficulties with, the
organisation, planning and execution of physical movement with a developmental rather than
acquired origin (Gibbs) and is considered a form of developmental coordination disorder
(DCD) affecting fine and/or gross motor coordination in children and adults. It may also
affect speech. (Dyspraxia). Signs of the disorder in children can include difficulties with selfcare, writing, typing, riding a bike and play as well as other educational and recreational
activities (Dyspraxia). Other issues include difficulty with planning and organizing movement
as well as perception and thought processes. For many children diagnosed with dyspraxia there is
no known cause and no clinical neurological abnormality (Dyspraxia) that would explain their
condition. Due to the challenges of diagnosing dyspraxia there is some debate about its
prevalence but estimate range from 2 to 10% of the population. One article states that:
DCD has been referred to as a hidden problem with an estimated prevalence as high as
10%. A figure of 6% is more likely, being severe in 2%; a further 10% have the condition
at a milder level, which implies that most school classes will have at least one affected
child. It is reported to affect males four times as frequently as females. Children born

prematurely and children with extremely low birth weights are at a significantly increased
risk of demonstrating DCD. (Gibbs)
Once a diagnosis has been made, the challenge is to determine ways in which to help the child
learn and adapt to everyday life and learning.
While 25% of children with dyspraxia are diagnosed before starting school, the
remaining 75% are referred within the first few grades (Gibbs). In the United States, the IDEA
2004 is the ruling law that outlines what classifies as a learning disability, how to assess, and
what kinds of services are to be provided. There are no specialized programs in the public
schools, however a student with dyspraxia may qualify under the IDEA for special education
services. Sadly, one article states that There are very few welldesigned trials of therapy in
DCD (Gibbs) and this is evidenced if you try to use a basic search engine for dyspraxia. Much
of the information online related to the United Kingdom and their programs and methods. Due to
the disorder being based on motor functions and mental processes there are some strategies that
teachers and parents can implement. Focusing on targeted motor skills can help to alleviate
issues. Alternative methods can also be devised based on the students strengths. Providing quiet
areas for testing and reading can help to alleviate frustrations. Some students can also be sensory
sensitive so adapting the environment to reduce sensory input can help.
Overall, a key part of helping a student with dyspraxia is to have open lines of
communication between the parents and the school. Due to the lack of school programs targeting
dyspraxia, people can fall between the cracks. Both parents and teachers can advocate for a
student with dyspraxia if they feel the disorder in the current environment is having negative
consequences. Through hard work, patience, and dedication people with dyspraxia can go on to
live a fulfilling life.

Works Cited
"Dyspraxia at a Glance..." Dyspraxia Foundation. Dyspraxia Foundation, 2016. Web. 3 Feb.
2016.
Gibbs, John, Jeanette Appleton, and Richard Appleton. Dyspraxia or Developmental
Coordination Disorder? Unravelling the Enigma. Archives of Disease in Childhood 92.6
(2007): 534539. PMC. Web. 3 Feb. 2016.