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AN OVERVIEW OF DYSPRAXIA
Dyspraxia is also known as Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). In Hong Kong, there is little research or awareness of this condition. However, studies in the United Kingdom suggest that up to 10% of the population is affected.
What is Dyspraxia?
Dyspraxia is a condition that is likely to be caused by an interruption of signals from the brain to muscles in the body. This can result in muscle weakness, which can affect all parts of the body or some specific areas. There are various types of Dyspraxia, including:​
A person may have one or more of these types of Dyspraxia, but the most common is Motor Dyspraxia. Those with Motor Dyspraxia will find it difficult to engage in physical activity, but the severity and obviousness will vary between individuals. For example, some may find it difficult to play sports that require a lot of hand-eye coordination, but others will find it difficult just to walk in a straight line without falling over for no reason.
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Motor Dyspraxia – problems in gross and fine motor coordination.
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Verbal Dyspraxia – problems with speech
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Oral Dyspraxia – problems with movement of the mouth and tongue
Dyspraxia can also affect a person’s executive functioning. In order for a person to do anything, the brain must go through the following process:
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It must form an idea of what it would like to do
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It must form a plan of how to perform the action
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It must execute the plan
Those with Dyspraxia will have problems with two of the above three steps. This causes them to be unco-ordinated in movement, speech or thought.
Dyspraxia does NOT affect intelligence. It may cause problems with learning and expression, but it does not affect how smart a person naturally is. In fact, many people with Dyspraxia find that their contributions are especially valued because they think of things differently and are able to bring creative solutions to problems.
It also does NOT prevent a person from learning new skills. However, those with Dyspraxia will require more time and effort to learn such skills compared to their peers.
What is Dyspraxia NOT?
What Causes Dyspraxia
It is often described as a delay in the development of the brain. Scientists think that it is caused when messages sent from the brain to muscles are interrupted. The nerve cells that control muscles (called motor neurons) are not able to form proper connections and, as a result, the brain takes much longer to process instructions.
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Overseas research indicate some risk factors that increase the likelihood of a child having Dyspraxia:
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Premature birth before 37 weeks of pregnancy
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Low birth weight
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Family history of Dyspraxia
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Mother taking drugs or alcohol during pregnancy
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