How it differs from inactivity and dysarthria
The inaction, on the contrary, is not developmental but acquired. It occurs mainly in adults after brain damage (such as stroke, dementia or injury) and manifests itself as an inability to perform movements that were previously familiar, even though the muscles are functioning normally.
In contrast, the dysarthria is a speech performance disorder due to neuromuscular damage. The brain plans speech correctly, but the muscles cannot perform it effectively due to weakness, spasticity or coordination difficulties.
For example, a child with verbal dyspraxia may say the word «well» correctly once and then produce variations such as «tala» or «laka» the next few times, showing instability in planning.
Conversely, a child with dysarthria will consistently pronounce the word in the same wrong way, usually slower or with an altered tone.
Link to autism, ADHD and learning difficulties
Dyspraxia often coexists with other neurodevelopmental disorders, significantly affecting the child's daily functioning.
Research show that 40-50% of children with ADHD have difficulties that meet the criteria for developmental motor coordination disorder, due to common difficulties in motor planning and executive functions.
Similarly, children with autism the rates are even higher. See 70% have severe motor difficulties that often correspond to dyspraxia. These difficulties affect social participation, play, imitation and spontaneous interaction, skills that are already demanding for children with autism.
In addition, dyspraxia is closely linked to learning difficulties, with coexistence rates approaching 30-50%. Children have difficulties in writing, spatial organisation and using tools, directly affecting their school performance.
Definition and Scientific Description
Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD)
Η Developmental Coordination Disorder (ADS), also known as dyspraxia, is a neurodevelopmental condition characterised by a marked and persistent disturbance in motor coordination.
It is not caused by an underlying medical condition, neurological disorder or mental disability.
ADHD affects a person's ability to learn and perform both fine and gross motor skills at a level lower than expected for their chronological age.
Verbal Dyspraxia (Verbal Dyspraxia / Apraxia of Speech)
Η verbal dyspraxia Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) is a neurological disorder that involves difficulty in planning and coordinating the movements required to produce speech.
The brain knows what it wants to say, but it has difficulty organising the correct sequences of movements of the muscles of the mouth, tongue and lips. There is no muscular weakness or sensory deficit; the problem is in motor planning.
Children with verbal dyspraxia, therefore, know what they want to say, but have difficulty in planning and coordinating the muscles of the mouth needed to produce speech (e.g. shark → shark, chocolate → chocolate).
It is not due to muscle weakness or low intelligence; instead, the problem lies in the way the brain «sends signals» to the muscles of speech.
This makes it difficult for the child to perform the movements of the sounds in the correct order and timing.
Because the problem involves motor programming, the child does not learn speech sounds in the normal developmental sequence and does not improve without targeted treatment.
Distinction between motor, verbal and oral dyspraxia
It is important to distinguish verbal dyspraxia from oral dyspraxia, which is defined by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association as a neurological disorder of motor programming.
The person has difficulty performing voluntary, learned movements of the orofacial structures (lips, tongue, jaw, soft palate), despite the fact that the same movements may be performed automatically or reflexively (e.g. blowing, tongue exit on command.
In short, verbal dyspraxia concerns the motor programming of speech while oral dyspraxia concerns non-verbal orofacial movements (e.g., blowing, tongue exit on command).
Although they often coexist, the presence of oral dyspraxia is not necessary Provided by for the diagnosis of verbal dyspraxia
The difference in motor dyspraxia is that it involves general motor clumsiness, with delay in motor milestones.
Children have difficulty planning and performing basic movements (running, climbing stairs, throwing/ catching a ball) compared to oral motor and verbal dyspraxia.
What ICD-10 says about dyspraxia
In ICD-10 dyspraxia is not mentioned as a separate term but is included in the code F82.0 - Specific developmental disorders of motor function.
This in practice means that the code F82.0 is used to classify cases where there is considerable difficulty in developing coordination of movement and motor function in a child, not explained by another neurological or muscular condition and not the result of a cognitive disability.
Causes and Factors of Occurrence
Dyspraxia is not caused by a single cause. Rather, it results from the combined effect of neurological, genetic and developmental factors, which influence the way in which the brain organizes and executes the movement.
Neurological basis and disorder in the planning of movements
Dyspraxia is related to the way the brain plans, organises and follows the movements.
Modern neuroscientific studies show that children with dyspraxia have differences in the function and connectivity of brain areas involved in motor control.
These areas include:
- the motor and premotor cortex
- The cerebellum
- the basic ganglia
- the white matter networks that connect motor and cognitive functions
The disorder is mainly found in the kinetic programming, i.e. the difficulty of the brain to:
- organise the individual steps of a movement
- set the time sequence correctly
- adapt the movement to the requirements of the environment
This explains why the child may knows what he wants to do, but find it difficult to perform it accurately or consistently.
Genetic, environmental and developmental factors
Η Research suggests that dyspraxia may be related genetic background, as it occurs more often in children with a history of motor, learning or other neurodevelopmental difficulties.
No specific «dyspraxia gene» has been identified, but multiple genes that affect neurodevelopmental maturation seem to be involved.
Dyspraxia often co-exists with other neurodevelopmental disorders, such as ADHD and learning difficulties, which supports the view that it is a matter of common neurodevelopmental background and not an individual motor difficulty.
Relationship to premature babies or brain injuries
One of the most documented risk factors for dyspraxia is Forwarding.
Research show that children born prematurely or with a very low birth weight have an increased likelihood of developing a developmental coordination disorder compared to full-term children.
Unlike apraxia, dyspraxia does not result from an acquired brain injury.
However, mild or diffuse early neurological impairments (without obvious focal damage) appear to affect motor development and contribute to its occurrence.
Symptoms of Dyspraxia
To children:
Basic characteristics of somatodyspraxia
Clumsiness: People with ADHD (Developmental Coordination Disorder) are often considered clumsy and may frequently drop objects, trip or bump into objects.
Deficits in motor skills: Difficulties can affect a wide range of tasks requiring coordination. Everyday tasks, such as playing, self-care or school activities, often require more effort and time than peers.
Strong motor skills: Problems with large body movements, such as running, jumping, catching or kicking a ball and riding a bicycle.
Fine motor skills: Difficulty with the precise hand movements required for tasks such as writing, using scissors and fastening buttons or cords.
Difficulty in ideation: The person finds it difficult to think about how to solve a problem - what steps to take.
Difficulty in motor planning: the brain has difficulty calculating the steps needed to perform a movement.
Difficulty in execution: Although the person knows what to do, they cannot coordinate their body to complete the movement.
In adults:
Dyspraxia does not «disappear» in adulthood, but often changes form.
Organisation and motor planning difficulties
Adults may find it difficult:
Organise complex daily activities e.g. prepare a meal in several steps, organise a trip or complete an office task without getting confused in the steps.
Manage time and multiple demands e.g. meeting several deadlines at work at the same time or coordinating family and work commitments.
Perform tasks that require coordination and accuracy e.g. assemble furniture, operate technical equipment or write quickly and clearly on a computer.
Problems at work, education, relationships
Mobility and organisation difficulties may be affected:
Professional performance e.g. delays in completing tasks, difficulty in carrying out tasks in detail or following too many instructions.
The confidence e.g., feelings of frustration, stress or fatigue when demands exceed coordination and organisation skills.
Social relations e.g., difficulty in participating in activities that require cooperation or organising social events, often resulting in avoiding group situations.
How the Diagnosis is Made
Tests for speech and language therapists, occupational therapists and paediatric neurologists
The diagnosis of dyspraxia is based on a multidisciplinary assessment rather than a test.
It usually involves paediatric neurologists, developmental neurologists, speech and language therapists and occupational therapists who assess the child's overall development, motor skills (gross and fine motor skills), functionality and whether these difficulties affect the child's daily life.
During the Evaluation a complete medical and developmental history is taken and then weighted and unweighted instruments are administered.
Tools such as the Dyspraxia Checklist, Nuffield Programmes
For the assessment of motor and functional skills the following can be used Dyspraxia Checklist or the Movement ABC as well as assessment and intervention programmes such as the Nuffield Programme, particularly when there are difficulties in the coordination of the orofacial muscles.
At the same time, information on activities of daily living, play and school performance is examined.
When is the diagnosis
Η diagnosis dyspraxia usually occurs during preschool or early school age (4-6 years), when motor demands increase and difficulties become more obvious.
However, signs may be present as early as infancy and early childhood, without being able to give a formal diagnosis.
However, because in some cases other disorders may co-exist, dyspraxia may also be found as a secondary diagnosis (e.g., a child with autism spectrum disorder may have dyspraxia at the same time).
Early identification of difficulties is particularly important, as it allows us to intervene early and thus improve prognosis.
Verbal Dyspraxia
How it is detected in infancy and childhood
During infancy, verbal dyspraxia cannot be diagnosed with certainty. However, risk markers associated with its later onset have been described.
Research show that infants later diagnosed with verbal dyspraxia have reduced infant babbling, reduced utterance of consonants and syllabic combinations and production of few sounds (mainly m, p, b, b, ta, d)
In addition, there is often a low frequency of repeated syllables and a delay in the appearance of the first words (which are unintelligible) which indicates difficulty in kinetic programming speech (Overby et al., 2023). These infants may also show limited use of sounds for communicative purposes, despite normal social interaction.
At infancy, the characteristics of verbal dyspraxia become more apparent. One of the most common is a delay in the emergence of first words and a very limited expressive vocabulary (Mayo Clinic, 2023).
Children with verbal dyspraxia often present with inconsistency in word production, saying the same word in a different way - unstable mistakes at every attempt.
Also characteristic is the difficulty in verbal sequencing from sound to sound or from syllable to syllable, resulting in the presence of pauses, omissions or simplifications of phonemes and syllables that do not match the standard development patterns (Murray et al., 2015).
At the same time, there are errors in rhythm, prosody and intonation of speech, which are a key diagnostic criterion of the disorder (Shriberg et al., 2011).
An important element differentiating verbal dyspraxia from other language disorders is the fact that comprehension often takes precedence over expressive ability, suggesting that the problem is not with language skills but with the motor planning of speech (Nationwide Children's Hospital, 2022).
Characteristics: confusion of sounds, inability to imitate sounds
- Inconsistency in the production of phonemes and words
One of the distinctive features of verbal dyspraxia is the inconsistency of errors - the inconsistent errors that are not due to immaturity.
The child may articulate the same word in a different way in repeated attempts, even in the same language context, e.g. “I want to; I want to; I want to”.
- Difficulty in planning and sequencing
Children with verbal dyspraxia present with difficulty in sequencing from sound to sound or from syllable to syllable, which often leads to pauses or «searches» for the correct articulatory position.
These difficulties increase as the length or complexity of the phonetic structure of the word increases.
- Disorders in prosody (rhythm, tone, intonation)
In verbal dyspraxia very often affected is the Face. This results in incorrect intonation of syllables or words, monotonous or robotic speech and inappropriate speech rhythm (slow rhythm or with commas.
- Limited expressive vocabulary
In the early stages of development, children with verbal dyspraxia show speech delay and limited expressive vocabulary, in relation to their age.
Articulating new words is often painful and requires multiple attempts.
- Better understanding from expression
A common feature of dyspraxia is that linguistic comprehension takes precedence over expressive comprehension.
Children understand age-appropriate instructions and verbal cues, but have difficulty expressing themselves verbally (Nationwide Children's Hospital, 2022).
- Increased effort and visible fatigue during the speech
Speech is accompanied by continuous effort with excessive mouth movements, imitation difficulties, repetitions or futile attempts to articulate words, events consistent with difficulty in motor planning (Murray et al., 2015).
- Absence of muscle weakness or neuromuscular disorder
Verbal dyspraxia is differentiated from dysarthria as there is no muscle weakness, paralysis or reduced muscle tone. Speech errors are exclusively attributed to motor planning difficulties (ASHA, 2007).
Exercise and rehabilitation through speech therapy
The rehabilitation of verbal dyspraxia is based on intensive, systematic and individualized speech and language therapy intervention. The main therapeutic goal is to improve motor planning and speech accuracy.
Unlike other speech disorders, intervention in verbal dyspraxia does not focus on language structure, but on the planning, sequencing and automation of speech movements.
Therapeutic techniques:
- Syllable and word repetition exercises
These exercises aim to stabilise motor patterns through repeated practice of syllables, words and phrases of increasing difficulty.
The emphasis is on correct sequencing rather than memorising words (Murray et al., 2015).
- Multisensory support techniques
The use of visual, tactile and auditory aids (e.g. gestures, tactile guidance, mirror) enhances joint accuracy and facilitates motor planning, particularly in the early stages of intervention.
- Hierarchical practice (from simple to complex)
The treatment is organized hierarchically, starting from simple syllabic structures (consonant-phoneme) and gradually progressing to words of complex phonotactic structure, multi-syllabic words and sentences, e.g. “Pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa”.
Increasing the difficulty is only done when stability at the previous level is achieved.
- Prosody and rhythm exercises
Since prosody disorders are a key feature of verbal dyspraxia, speech therapy intervention includes intonation exercises, rhythmic repetition and controlled speech rate, aiming at a more natural speech.
Examples of home activities
Home practice is an important complement to speech therapy intervention in verbal dyspraxia, as it contributes to the generalization and automation of motor speech patterns.
Homework activities should be short, frequent, structured and enjoyable so that they reinforce repetition without causing fatigue or frustration for the child.
Parents do not act as «therapists», but as «co-therapists» and supportive interlocutors.
Positive reinforcement, avoidance of excessive corrections and cooperation with the speech and language therapist are crucial factors for a successful intervention.
Examples of exercises:
- Syllable and word repetition games
Parents can practice with the child simple syllables or target words that have already been worked on in speech therapy (e.g. Ma, πα, Dad), through play.
The activity can be integrated into daily routines, such as eating or symbolic play with dolls.
- Use of a mirror for visual feedbackη
Practicing in front of a mirror allows the child to observe the movements of the lips and tongue, enhancing articulation awareness. Η Technical this is particularly recommended in the early stages of intervention.
- Rhythmic games and songs
The use of songs, clapping and rhythmic repetition of words helps to improve the prosody and rhythm of speech, which are impaired in verbal dyspraxia. Melody works supportively in motor programming.
- Imitation games
Imitation activities (e.g., animal sounds, toy names, simple words) enhance motor pattern learning through modeling, particularly when the adult provides a slow, clear speech pattern.
- Short, daily «talking moments»
Exercise at home should not exceed 5-10 minutes, several times a day. Short repetitions during the day are more effective than long sessions.
- Supporting communication media
In children with severe expressive difficulties, gestures, pictures or simple alternative communication systems can be used to reduce frustration and maintain communicative intent. In this way the development of speech is not impeded.
Treatment - Treatments
Occupational therapy:
-
Strengthening fine and gross motor skills
We almost always train the child first in gross movements (coordination of upper and lower limbs, e.g. “throwing, catching a ball, balance” etc.). In the process we deal with fine movement (e.g. “catching small objects, using zippers, buttons, writing” etc.).
When a child presents dyspraxia, it is difficult to generalise motor patterns.
If, for example, it has the ability to jump over an obstacle, when it is modified and presented differently (e.g. higher), it becomes immobilised and thinking is blocked.
That is why we focus on getting the child to think of alternative possible ways to achieve an action.
In essence, the conception of the idea (Idea), its design (design) and the programming will reach the result of kinetic execution.
Gradually improve sequential movement (jumping sequentially open/closed legs) and bilateral coordination (coordination of the two sides of the body).
Customized daily life programs
Some actions that particularly help the dyspraxic person are:
- η job splitting in individual steps (e.g., for dressing children step 1 put a t-shirt through the trousers and then put on a blouse, e.g. for adults, use of visualised material for assembling a piece of furniture instead of only written instructions).
- The building of space by placing labels on drawers, cupboards, etc. to know where each item goes.
- Η physical exercise
- Providing more time before each action
- The use of technology (organisation applications, google calendar, agenda, etc.)
Speech therapy:
Use of virtual support tools (PECS, TEACCH)
Children who have verbal dyspraxia may have slurred speech. Often, in these cases, alternative communication programs such as PECS can be used or oral speech can be enhanced with assisted articulation signs.
Also visualization images that we use in the method Teacch help the child's ability to perform activities in steps and thus perform an action faster and more efficiently.
Physiotherapy:
If there is associated muscle weakness or poor posture
Dyspraxia in children mainly appears as difficulty in the correct control and planning of movements, while muscle hypotonia may sometimes co-exist.
Usually there is clumsiness, difficulty in coordination, instability in balance, poor posture and easy fatigue in activities.
Children may move more stiffly or clumsily, tire quickly and avoid play or physical activities, which affects their daily life and participation in play.
In this context the physiotherapy plays a key role in supporting children with dyspraxia. Through individualised intervention programmes, the physiotherapist helps the child learn to better control their body, build muscle strength and improve their stamina, posture, coordination and stability.
This is achieved through exercises and games tailored to their needs, with the aim of making them more comfortable, more confident and more active in home, school and play activities.
Daily activities/ Sports activities for dyspraxia
- Swimming
It is one of the most suitable activities, because water supports the body. It helps to coordinate upper and lower limbs, improve posture, stamina and general motor awareness
- Gymnastics
It enhances body control, balance and trunk stability. Through simple movements, jumps and position changes, the child learns to organise his/her movements better.
- Martial arts
They strengthen coordination, body sense of space and self-discipline. It is important to emphasise correct execution rather than competition
- Bicycle / Scooter
They help with balance, bilateral coordination and self-confidence, especially when done in a safe and familiar environment
Games that enhance concentration and coordination
- Low-intensity team games
Simple ball games (throwing, receiving, kicking) without emphasis on scoring help visual-motor coordination and social participation
- Dance (structured, with repetitions)
Rhythm helps to synchronize movements and improve motor flow, especially when the movements are simple and repetitive
Dyspraxia and School
Difficulties with writing, concentration and participation
Usually children with dyspraxia have difficulties with writing, concentration and participation in schoolwork.
‘They usually have a slow writing rhythm and difficulty in construction, visual perception and cannot motorically render what they see.
Their concentration in the classroom may be affected by sensory dysregulation due to poor proprioceptive registration, resulting in them constantly moving and turning in their chair.
While seemingly having the image of a child with ADHD, in fact the symptoms occur due to poor stasis control.
Finally, the student may not understand the instruction due to difficulty in processing and carrying out the verbal instructions. Therefore, visual aids are proposed to facilitate them.
Student rights
A student is entitled to support from a SEN (Special Support Staff) or a SEN (Special Education Staff) when he/she has been assessed by the competent state body and placed in the category of students with “Special Educational Needs”.
According to Law 3699/2008 on Special Education, if a student with dyspraxia is judged by the KEDASY as a student with special educational needs, he/she is entitled to appropriate educational adaptations, depending on his/her difficulties.
These adaptations may include extended time in written exams, alternative ways of assessment, use of supportive tools, and support from special education structures (e.g. an inclusion department).
The aim of these interventions is equal participation in the learning process and fair assessment, without their difficulties being an obstacle to their academic performance.
Interventions by the SCE / EBP / teachers
The SPD (Special Education Staff) and SEN (Special Support Staff) can support the student through adaptations in teaching, differentiated activities, the use of multi-sensory methods and the provision of clear and simple instructions.
The SPD consists of social workers and paraprofessionals such as (psychologists, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, etc.) It supports a student in organizational skills, motor coordination and self-regulation, while the EBP contributes to daily functionality in the classroom.
The EBP it also makes it easier for the student to access school areas, use the toilet or anywhere else they have difficulty getting to.
The special education teachers help the student either in the classroom with the institution parallel support, or out of class in the integration departments operating autonomously within the school following a decision of the KEDASY, or following a decision of the teachers' association, always with the consent of the parent.
Dyspraxia and Autism - Relationship and Differentiation
When they coexist
Research shows that a significant percentage of children who have elements of the autistic spectrum also have motor coordination difficulties.
In these cases we can talk about comorbidity of autism with ASD.
With the Evaluation and early intervention, we can determine whether the social and communication difficulties of the autistic child coexist with clumsiness, difficulties in fine and gross motor skills, and difficulty in coordinating the muscles of the mouth and body,
In children with autism rates of mobility difficulties are particularly high, with up to 70% have difficulties that often correspond to dyspraxia.
These difficulties affect social participation, play, imitation and spontaneous interaction, skills that are already demanding for children with autism.
What difficulties are shared
The common and usual difficulties relate to ideation and motor planning and coordination, imagination, imitation, clumsiness and motor play.
Both disorders may also be accompanied by sensory processing difficulties, which affect the child's behaviour and participation in daily activities.
How they are differentiated in speech, sensory processing, movement
Despite the common features mentioned, autism and dyspraxia differ in key areas.
Children on the autistic spectrum often have difficulties in social speech, understanding non-verbal cues and interacting. While in dyspraxia, speech is mainly affected in speech production and not in higher verbal functions.
In terms of sensory processing, autism often shows hypersensitivity or hypersensitivity to sensory stimuli, whereas in dyspraxia the difficulties are more related to the recording, processing and organisation of sensory information for movement execution.
Finally, movement, in dyspraxia, is characterised by difficulty in motor planning and movement sequencing, while in autism motor difficulties are not always a key feature but may appear secondarily.
Dyspraxia and Adults
Symptoms in adults (relationships, work, autonomy)
The symptoms in adults with dyspraxia are as follows:
- Motor clumsiness, due to reduced spatial perception they may trip or bump into objects, furniture, etc. or drop objects from their hands
- Difficulties in sports, him dance or the driving
- Difficulty in fine motor skills, such as writing, typing, button-fixing, using cutlery or scissors
- Difficulty in multitasking and time management
- Difficulty in orientation in space and the right/left distinction
- Fatigue or stress due to the impact on a project execution
- For verbal dyspraxia, slow speech, pauses, etc.
Support in everyday life and at work
Agendas, calendars, excels, reminders and calendars are a great help in organization.
Visualization (pictures in steps) help with any performance that is difficult for the dyspraxic person.
The structured and clear working environment (neat office, organisation, arrangement of material and equipment and the use of technological means help the dyspraxic person to concentrate and be more efficient.
Management strategies
Fixed routines, visual aids and task simplification i.e. breaking tasks into smaller manageable steps work as appropriate strategies.
Also, making the environment a clear, neat and tidy workplace helps to reduce the difficulties of projects to be completed.
Occupational therapy can also enhance the development of strategies even in adults with dyspraxia.
Examples and Sources of Empowerment
Famous people with dyspraxia
Many celebrities have reported their experience with dyspraxia, but this has not prevented them from having an excellent career.
The actor Daniel Radcliffe, also known as Harry Potter, has spoken openly about his dyspraxia and especially his difficulty in coordinating fine movements. He says he still has difficulty tying his shoelaces.
The model and actress Cara Delevingne has also been diagnosed with dyspraxia and ADHD. Signs of her dyspraxia included difficulties at school, both in reading and writing, and she found exams a nightmare.
The singer Florence Welch of the famous band Florence and the Machine has spoken proudly about her dyspraxia and dyslexia, mentioning that she participated in a special learning class at her school.
Finally, the Emma Lewell-Buck, the English dyspraxic MEP mentioned her difficulty in spatial orientation as she could not understand a road map, wore her shoes upside down and was constantly spilling fluids.
Support groups (e.g. Dyspraxia Foundation UK)
In Greece there are no organised support groups for people with dyspraxia. Parents can turn to specialised and multidisciplinary special education centres, to receive the necessary information, guidance and support.
However, abroad there are organised support groups such as the Dyspraxia Foundation UK, which is a UK charity that provides information and support to adults and parents of children with dyspraxia, as well as local groups. The organisation provides guidance, materials for parents and professionals, mentoring.
In America the organisation Dyspraxia/ DCD America offers a global network, resources for parents and information about DCD.
In Australia, New Zealand and Ireland there are similar support organisations such as DCD Australia ink, Dyspraxia NZ, Dyspraxia DCD Ireland.
Finally, there are active Facebook support groups such as the Dyspraxia Support Group and the Dyspraxia USA Parent Chat.
Free material & books
Today there is a lot of valuable material available for parents of children with dyspraxia, which can provide essential support in understanding and managing everyday difficulties.
The Dyspraxia Foundation (UK) offers free information guides and practical strategies for home and school, while the European educational platform Dyspraxia Theca has freely accessible worksheets and adapted educational material for school-age children.
There are also free e-books and short PDF guides, such as the Dyspraxia / Developmental Coordination Disorder Pocketbook and the Guide to Dyslexia and Dyspraxia (Routledge), which explain in a simple and understandable way what dyspraxia is and how it affects everyday functioning.
In addition, organizations such as Dyspraxia DCD America offer free educational resources and practical advice for parents and teachers.
This material is a valuable tool, particularly in countries where organised support groups are limited, as it offers reliable information and practical solutions at no financial cost.
Conclusions
Why early intervention changes a child's life
As with all childhood disorders, in dyspraxia (motor coordination disorder), early and effective treatment is essential. early intervention, is oriented towards normalising difficulties and learning strategies early on so that difficulties do not become entrenched.
The importance of the holistic approach
When a child is in need of therapeutic support it is necessary to have a holistic approach, i.e. therapists, family, school (class teacher and parallel support when available) and the treating doctor working together around the child.
The occupational therapist in collaboration with the speech and language therapist or the psychologist create and design the support plan often in consultation with the parent and the class teacher so that the child can use the strategies of in all environments.
Encourage early assessment
At our centre in Peristeri we take on children with dyspraxia who have difficulties in either speech or motor coordination.
If you see that your child is struggling with his/her daily routines (dressing, washing, playing, running, building), writing, responsibilities or even speaking, it is a good idea to do a Evaluation which will lead to the diagnosis of dyspraxia.
A child's daily effort can count double for them. Give him the opportunity to be facilitated with all the modern means and therapeutic methods that will allow him to be more functional and, most importantly, happier!
