Dr. Vivek Sharma
In the telegraph (U.K.), Aug. 2008 Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe has revealed that he suffers from dyspraxia, meaning he sometimes still has trouble tying his shoe laces. The star admitted he became an actor partly because his dyspraxia meant he was not successful at school.
There are about 10 percent of people who have some degree of dyspraxia, while approximately 2 percent have it severely. If an average classroom has 30 children, there is probably one child with dyspraxia in almost each classroom.
Dyspraxia is a disorder of motor planning and/or execution with no significant or normal findings on neurological examination. It is a disorder of the higher cortical process and there may be associated problems of perception (how the child interpretates what he sees and hears), use of language and putting thoughts together.
The English medieval word dyspraxia is derived from the Greek word duspraxia. This word comes from the Greek word paraxis which emerged from an older greek word prassein meaning “to pass through, experience practice.”
Developmental Dyspraxia is an immaturity of the recognition of movement. The brain does not process information in a way that allows for a full transmission of neuronal messages. A child with dyspraxia finds it hard to plan what to do, and how to do it.
Planning dyspraxia where there are difficulties with planning a sequence or order of coordinated movements, actions that involve manipulations of objects.
Executive dyspraxia where there are difficulties with providing what to do but being unable to do it, moving from one activity to another and copying actions.
How would I recognise a Child with Dyspraxia
In early childhood
* May take longer than other children to sit, crawl (some never go through crawling stage), walk, speak, stand, become potty trained, build up vocabulary.
* Problems performing subtle movements such as tying shoe laces, doing up buttons and zips, using cutlery, handwriting and getting dressed.
* Problems carrying out play ground activities such as jumping, catching a ball, kicking a ball, hopping and skipping.
* Problem with coloring, drawing, using scissors.
* Problem with processing thoughts.
* Difficulty learning new skills.
In later childhood
* Tries to avoid sports and physical activity.
* Learn on one on one basis, but nowhere near as well in class with other kids around.
* Mathematics and writing are difficult.
* Is badly organized.
Key tips to help a disorganized child Teacher in School
* Comparison is disastrous. Never allow a child with dyspraxia to be compared to an able child.
* Praise every effort and every small accomplishment.
* Allow the extra time during teaching.
* Teach on one to one level, with few distractions when possible.
Parents at home
* By early identification
* Practice skills with your child
* Encourage activities to enforce coordination
* Talk through activities
* Help them learn necessary sound skills.
* Taking help of occupational therapist and speech and language therapist.
* By perceptual motor learning.
Dyspraxic children have difficulty learning new skills – while other children may do this automatically a child with dyspraxia takes longer. Encouragement, help consultation with occupational and speech therapist help enormously.
Have fun, remember your child has difficulties, they are not a difficult child, and do be patient, for both your sakes.
(The writer is consultant Paediatrician based in Jaipur.)
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