Dyspraxia
Differences in motor coordination and planning. Also called DCD.
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Overview
Dyspraxia Developmental Coordination Disorder affects physical coordination motor planning organisation. Neurological lifelong affects 5 percent UK population. Dyspraxia is not clumsiness but difficulty planning executing coordinated movements from handwriting to tying shoelaces to navigating spaces. Children may have delayed motor milestones struggle with PE appear clumsy find handwriting exhausting. But dyspraxia also affects organisation sequencing tasks remembering multi-step instructions. Many people also have ADHD dyslexia autism. Social impacts include exclusion from sports bullying frustration from appearing less capable. Dyspraxia often dismissed as just being uncoordinated but cognitive load of compensating exhausting. Many children develop anxiety around physical activities. Occupational therapy helps with motor skills compensatory strategies. Assistive technology typing instead of handwriting levels playing field. Many successful adults with dyspraxia found careers leveraging strengths in creativity empathy strategic thinking.
Key Characteristics
- Poor coordination and motor planning
- Handwriting difficulties
- Struggles with PE and sports
- Organisational challenges
- Difficulty following multi-step instructions
- Appears clumsy or awkward in movement
- Often co-occurs with ADHD dyslexia autism
- Social exclusion from physical activities
What Helps
- Occupational therapy
- Typing instead of handwriting
- Breaking tasks into small steps
- Extra time for physical tasks
- Alternative PE activities
- Visual schedules and checklists
- Assistive technology in school
- Sensory integration therapy
- Build on strengths often creative
- Reduce performance pressure in sport
Note: Informational only. Consult professionals for individualised support.