{"id":4407,"date":"2026-02-13T19:49:58","date_gmt":"2026-02-13T16:49:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eidikokentropaidiou.gr\/?post_type=arthra&p=4407"},"modified":"2026-06-11T15:31:40","modified_gmt":"2026-06-11T12:31:40","slug":"dyspraxia-paidia-symptomata-diagnosi-therapeia","status":"publish","type":"arthra","link":"https:\/\/eidikokentropaidiou.gr\/en\/arthra\/dyspraxia-paidia-symptomata-diagnosi-therapeia\/","title":{"rendered":"Dyspraxia in Children: Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment"},"content":{"rendered":"

How it differs from inactivity and dysarthria<\/span><\/h3>\n

The inaction<\/b>, 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.<\/span><\/p>\n

In contrast, the <\/span>dysarthria<\/b> 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.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For example, a child with verbal dyspraxia may say the word \u00abwell\u00bb correctly once and then produce variations such as \u00abtala\u00bb or \u00ablaka\u00bb the next few times, showing instability in planning.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Conversely, a child with dysarthria will consistently pronounce the word in the same wrong way, usually slower or with an altered tone.<\/span><\/p>\n

Link to autism, ADHD and learning difficulties<\/span><\/h3>\n

Dyspraxia often coexists with other neurodevelopmental disorders, significantly affecting the child's daily functioning.<\/span><\/p>\n

Research<\/span><\/a> show that <\/span>40-50% of children with ADHD<\/b> have difficulties that meet the criteria for developmental motor coordination disorder, due to common difficulties in motor planning and executive functions.<\/span><\/p>\n

Similarly, children with <\/span>autism<\/b> the rates are even higher. See <\/span>70%<\/b> 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.<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition, dyspraxia is closely linked to <\/span>learning difficulties<\/b>, with coexistence rates approaching <\/span>30-50%<\/b><\/a>. Children have difficulties in writing, spatial organisation and using tools, directly affecting their school performance.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Definition and Scientific Description<\/span><\/h2>\n
\"Children
Children are actively involved in educational activities in the classroom.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD)<\/span><\/h3>\n

\u0397<\/span> Developmental Coordination Disorder<\/b> (ADS), also known as <\/span>dyspraxia,<\/b> is a neurodevelopmental condition characterised by a marked and persistent disturbance in motor coordination.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It is not caused by an underlying medical condition, neurological disorder or mental disability.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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.<\/span><\/p>\n

Verbal Dyspraxia (Verbal Dyspraxia \/ Apraxia of Speech)<\/span><\/h3>\n

\u0397 <\/span>verbal dyspraxia<\/b><\/a> Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) is a neurological disorder that involves difficulty in planning and coordinating the movements required to produce speech.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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.<\/span><\/p>\n

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 \u2192 shark, chocolate \u2192 chocolate).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It is not due to muscle weakness or low intelligence; instead, the problem lies in the way the brain \u00absends signals\u00bb to the muscles of speech.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This makes it difficult for the child to perform the movements of the sounds in the correct order and timing.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Distinction between motor, verbal and oral dyspraxia<\/span><\/h3>\n

It is important to distinguish verbal dyspraxia from <\/span>oral dyspraxia<\/span><\/a>, which is defined by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association as a neurological disorder of motor programming.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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.<\/span><\/p>\n

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).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Although they often coexist, the presence of oral dyspraxia is not necessary <\/span>Provided by<\/span><\/a> for the diagnosis of verbal dyspraxia\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The difference in motor dyspraxia is that it involves <\/span>general motor clumsiness, with delay in motor milestones.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Children have difficulty planning and performing basic movements (running, climbing stairs, throwing\/ catching a ball) compared to oral motor and verbal dyspraxia. <\/span><\/p>\n

What ICD-10 says about dyspraxia<\/span><\/h3>\n

In ICD-10 dyspraxia is not mentioned as a separate term but is included in the code<\/span> F82.0 - Specific developmental disorders of motor function.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

This in practice means that the code F82.0 is used to classify cases where there is <\/span>considerable difficulty in developing coordination<\/span><\/a> of movement and motor function in a child, not explained by another neurological or muscular condition and not the result of a cognitive disability.<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Causes and Factors of Occurrence<\/span><\/h2>\n

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 <\/span>the brain organizes and executes the movement.<\/b><\/p>\n

Neurological basis and disorder in the planning of movements<\/span><\/h3>\n

Dyspraxia is related to the way the brain <\/span>plans, organises and follows the movements<\/b>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Modern <\/span>neuroscientific studies<\/span><\/a> show that children with dyspraxia have differences in the function and connectivity of brain areas involved in motor control.<\/span><\/p>\n

These areas include:<\/span><\/p>\n