By NCLD Editorial Staff
Published: March 14 2009
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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 can affect a variety of basic functions required for daily living. It is often broken down into different categories — see below for a detailed explanation.
Dyspraxia by Category
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Category
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Indicates difficulty with:
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Ideomotor Dyspraxia
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Inability to complete single-step motor tasks such as combing hair and waving goodbye. |
Ideational Dyspraxia
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Difficulty with multi-step tasks like brushing teeth, making a bed, putting clothes on in order, as well as buttoning and buckling |
Oromotor Dyspraxia
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Difficulties coordinating the muscle movements needed to pronounce words |
Constructional Dyspraxia
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Problems with establishing spatial relationships — for instance being able to accurately position or move objects from one place to another |
Dyspraxia at Different Ages
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Dyspraxia at Different Ages
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School Age Children
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Teenagers & Adults
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- 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.
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- 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
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- 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
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If a person continues to display difficulty over time in the areas outlined above, testing for dyspraxia by trained professionals should be considered.
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