Dyspraxia: A Quick Look

What you should know about dyspraxia:

• The term dyspraxia refers to a specific type of disorder in the area of motor skill development.
• It is estimated that dyspraxia affects at least 2% of the general population.
• Seventy percent of those affected by dyspraxia are male.
• Like all learning disabilities, dyspraxia is a life long condition.
• With the help of alternate learning methods, repeated practice of basic tasks, and in some cases occupational, physical and speech therapy, a person with dyspraxia can learn to function and succeed independently.
• Dyspraxia often co-exists with other learning disabilities, such as dyslexia, dyscalculia and dysgraphia.

Dyspraxia by Category

	Category				Indicates difficulty with:
	Ideomotor Dyspraxia				Inability to complete single-step motor tasks such as combing hair and waving goodbye.
	Ideational Dyspraxia				Difficulty with multi-step tasks like brushing teeth, making a bed, putting clothes on in order, as well as buttoning and buckling
	Oromotor Dyspraxia				Difficulties coordinating the muscle movements needed to pronounce words
	Constructional Dyspraxia				Problems with establishing spatial relationships - for instance being able to accurately position or move objects from one place to another

Dyspraxia at Different Ages

	Young Children				School Age Children				Teenagers & Adults
	Difficulty learning to walk, jump and skip Trouble pronouncing words and being understood Slow to establish left- or right- handedness Frequently bumps into things Easily irritated by touch - clothing on skin, hair brushing, etc.				Trouble with activities that require fine motor skills, like holding a pencil, buttoning, cutting with scissors Poor coordination - trouble with sports activities Slow or difficult-to- understand speech Speech difficulties can cause severe social awkwardness and unwillingness to attempt social interactions				Trouble with speech control - volume, pitch, articulation Difficulty writing Extreme sensitivity to light, touch, space, taste, smells Difficulty with personal grooming Difficulty driving Very clumsy