Dyspraxics often walk with poor balance, appearing clumsy, zig-zagging, bumping into things, or having an unsteady gait with heavy steps or an odd bounce, due to difficulty planning and organizing movement (Developmental Coordination Disorder). They might struggle with stairs, have awkward arm/leg movements (restlessness), or walk too far apart from people to avoid collisions, stemming from the brain's challenge in sending motor signals effectively, impacting gross motor skills.
Dyspraxic adults may also walk with a different gait, bump into things frequently and/or have trouble participating in sports. In some cases oral language skills are affected.
Gait dyspraxia is the difficulty in carrying out the relatively complex function of walking. It may be seen in frontal lobe lesions, posterior temporal lesions and in hydrocephalus.
Signs of dyspraxia in older children
Difficulty with balance — they may bump into objects, fall frequently or seem clumsy. Difficulty with sports and activities, such as riding a bike; jumping; and catching, throwing or kicking a ball. They may avoid participating in activities because of their lack of coordination.
Symptoms of dyspraxia
You may find routine tasks difficult. If you have dyspraxia it may affect: your co-ordination, balance and movement. how you learn new skills, think, and remember information at work and home.
Problems with movement and co-ordination are the main symptoms of DCD. Children may have difficulty with: playground activities such as hopping, jumping, running, and catching or kicking a ball. They often avoid joining in because of their lack of co-ordination and may find physical education difficult.
Thumb-finding test. Your GP places your hands in a position of their choosing and then asks you to touch your thumb with your other thumb while your eyes are closed. Sequential finger-touching. Your GP will ask you to touch each of your fingers to your thumb, starting with your forefinger.
DCD is often confused with dyspraxia. Here's the thing, they are very similar and cause a lot of the same types of clumsiness and disorganisation. However, dyspraxia involves planning of tasks. A child with dyspraxia has difficulty to use toys and equipment in novel ways.
Though there are careers that utilise the assets of dyspraxia, such as empathy, and leadership, more than others. These jobs include teaching, coaching, leadership, creative arts and business development, amongst other things.
5 Celebrities & Famous People With Dyspraxia
Dyspraxic children often demonstrate some of the following types of behaviour: Inability to stay still (feet swinging, feet tapping, hand-clapping) Loud/shrill voice.
This means that dyspraxia is more than just a movement disorder. Poor coordination, reduced balance and timing, poor handwriting and fine motor are the more obvious signs. However, individuals also experience challenges with memory, focus, planning and completing tasks.
Dyspraxia can make it difficult for people to maintain attention and focus, especially when there are distractions and interruptions. Some people can also experience excessive tiredness.
Dyspraxia often co-occurs with other learning differences, such as dyslexia, ADHD and autism. Many people with dyspraxia are creative, determined and good at problem-solving.
Children with suspected DCD are usually assessed using a method called the Movement ABC, which involves tests of: gross motor skills – their ability to use large muscles that co-ordinate significant body movements, such as moving around, jumping and balancing.
Dyspraxia can disrupt the visual information coming to the brain from the eyes, causing issues with visual processing. Because of this disruption, the brain sometimes has to be selective with the information it considers, causing certain things to be ignored or missed.
Racket sports, such as table tennis or squash, can be a good option as they help work on coordination and fine motor skills. Gymnastics can also be beneficial as it helps develop muscle strength, flexibility, and balance. Dance is another individual sport that can be adapted for individuals with dyspraxia.
A study from Cass Business School in London found that 35% of entrepreneurs in the US and 20% of entrepreneurs in the UK showed signs of dyslexia compared with just 5–10% of the overall population. And a survey of 69,000 self-made millionaires indicated that 40% of them showed signs of dyslexia.
In general, a dyspraxia diagnosis should not prevent you from learning to drive. Sure, you'll have to accept that it will be harder for you to get to grips with the basics and the whole process could take longer than average, but it's not a solid roadblock.
Around 90% of autism cases are attributed to genetic factors, meaning autism is highly heritable, with many different genes contributing, rather than a single cause, often interacting with environmental influences during early brain development, though specific environmental factors don't cause it but can increase risk. Twin studies show strong genetic links, with concordance rates between 60-90% in identical twins, and research points to complex interactions of many genes and prenatal/perinatal factors.
The "6-second rule" for autism is a communication strategy where a speaker pauses for about six seconds after asking a question or giving information, giving the autistic person extra time to process it without feeling rushed, which helps reduce anxiety and allows for a more thoughtful response, reducing frustration for both parties. Instead of repeating or rephrasing, which can be confusing, you wait, and if needed, repeat the exact same words after the pause.
Children with dyspraxia may be late in reaching normal developmental milestones for example an early sign of dyspraxia is a child taking longer to roll over, sit, crawl, stand, walk, speak and toilet train.
How is dyspraxia diagnosed? You may contact your child's Health Visitor (if obvious concerns less than 5 years of age) or school nurse or GP to discuss developmental issues. If the school staff notices difficulties they would normally provide additional support before they seek a referral for further assessment.
Childhood dyspraxia often affects fine motor skills, leading to poor handwriting, trouble gripping pencils, and slow, messy writing. It's important to consider developing SEN Plans when dealing with dyspraxia for a structured approach, additional support and access to resources.
The causes of dyspraxia aren't well understood. It is thought to be caused by a problem with the way connections develop between the nerves in the brain. There seems to be a strong genetic link — children with dyspraxia tend to have a parent with dyspraxia. It's also linked to complications during pregnancy and birth.