What is dyspraxia or DCD?

Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is commonly known as Dyspraxia in the UK and Ireland. It is a hidden disability affecting fine and/or gross motor coordination in children and adults.

It can also be know as the Clumsy Disorder, Motor Learning Problem or Sensory Processing Disorder. As children grow their difficulties may present in a variety of ways and can change with life experience and environmental demands, but will persist into adulthood.

Whilst the term dyspraxia is not used outside the UK and Ireland, it is used to describe individuals with motor difficulties who also have difficulties with: speech, organisation, planning, sequencing, working memory and various other psychological, emotional and social problems.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual -V (DSM-5) doesn’t use the term dyspraxia but instead classifies DCD as a discrete motor disorder under the broader heading of neurodevelopmental disorders.  DCD is recognised by the World Health Organisation also.

Some basic facts:

1. Prevalence 6% of 5 to 12 year olds
2. The ratio of Boys:Girls is 3:1
3. High co-morbidity with other disorders e.g. ADD/ ADHD – 40%, ASD, Dyslexia, etc.
4. Children do not grow out of this disorder.
5. Currently there is no biological explanation for Dyspraxia/DCD.

Possible Indicators In Infants

1. Delays in reaching normal developmental milestones can be an early sign of DCD. If you are at all worried your HV ( Health Visitor) or GP will advise you best.
2. Your child may take slightly longer than expected to roll over, sit, crawl or walk. Remember not all children develop at the same rate so don’t compare your child to others.
3. Or you may notice that your child shows unusual body positions (postures) during their first year.
4. They can also have difficulty playing with toys that involve good co-ordination –such as stacking bricks – and may have some difficulties learning to eat with cutlery.

How to recognise dyspraxia/DCD in Children

The child with Dyspraxia/DCD may have a combination of several problems in varying degrees. These include:

1. Poor balance
2. Poor fine and gross motor co-ordination
3. Poor posture
4. Difficulty with throwing and catching a ball
5. Poor awareness of body position in space
6. Poor sense of direction
7. Difficulty in hopping, skipping or riding a bike
8. Sensitive to touch
9. Confused about which hand to use
10. Intolerance of having hair or teeth brushed, nails and hair cut
11. Slow to learn to dress or feed themselves
12. Find some clothes uncomfortable
13. Difficulty with reading and writing
14. Speech problems – slow to learn to speak and speech may be incoherent.
15. Phobias or obsessive behavior and impatient
16. Average or above average intelligence but are often behaviorally immature.
17. They try hard to fit in to socially accepted behavior when at school but often throw tantrums when at home.
18. They may find it difficult to understand logic and reason.

Not all children with Dyspraxia/DCD have all these problems, some parents recognise that their child has clusters of these problems instead.

There is no cure for Dyspraxia/DCD, but the earlier a child is diagnosed and interventions started the better their chance of improvement will be. An occupational therapist, physiotherapist and extra help at school can help with overcoming many difficulties the child may be experiencing.

Secondary difficulties that can arise and need treatment also:

These may become more apparent in teen years so be mindful of this. Again early interventions will help here. I also have tips on how you can help your child under my blog series on dyslexia and a series on teens, please check them out. Plus see below also.

1. Low self esteem
2. Low self confidence
3. Mental health issues
4. Social difficulties
5. Specific Learning Difficulties –dyslexia

How Is Dyspraxia/DCD Diagnosed?

A team of professionals including a psychologist will be required to diagnose this disability. They will usually ask the child’s school for a report on the child’s work and co-ordination.The child’s parent will also be asked to meet the psychologist (and any other professional) and give their experience of their child’s difficulties.

The team will use a series of tests to determine the child’s disability. They  will then recommend school accommodations and if any other professional help is required such as with an occupational therapist, physiotherapist, etc.

Remember this is a recognised disability and therefore covered by various educational and disability legislation. Your child has rights and entitlements you need to learn these and all you can about your child’s dyspraxia.

The earlier in the intervention the better, but it is never too late for assistance to be implemented. Having a disability can be particularly hard on someone when it is a hidden one and they are not receiving the treatment they need. The longer it is left undiagnosed the more it will affect their mental health as they don’t understand what is wrong and can feel like a failure.  While with the correct diagnoses and treatment the child can get the most out of their education, begin to enjoy learning and going to school again.

Assessment of Need In Ireland

Parents of any child born after 1st June 2002 may apply to the HSE for an Assessment of Need under the Disability Act, if they think that their child may have a disability. If your child has more complex learning or developmental needs, you can apply to the HSE for an Assessment of Need. Following the assessment, parents receive an Assessment Report stating their child’s needs and the services required to meet those needs. From the 1st June 2018 a young person aged over 16 years can apply for an Assessment of Need. More information about the Assessment of Need is available on the HSE website at: https://www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/4/disability/disability-assessment/

How Parents Can Help

There are plenty of ways in which you can help your child. Being organised is one way, and you do need to be organised, I talk about why and how here. (Don’t skip reading this)

1. Be consistent in your parenting first and foremost. You don’t need to treat them differently than your other children.
2. Stop Feeling Guilty, it’s not the end of yours or your child’s life. You didn’t do anything wrong nor did your child.
3. Yes, you will grieve it’s a normal part of this. So seek advice or help if needed.
4. Your child will live with this for the rest of their lives. It’s not a disease, so it’s not curable! Don’t buy into the fads!
5. Find out what Dyspraxia is, try dyspraxia.ie (or your national DCD group in your country) as a starting point.
6. Find out what it means for your child. Don’t get bogged down in their report/assessment, it can be very intimidating, just concentrate on the summary, usually on the last page of the report.
7. Find out your child’s right and entitlements with regard to their disability remember it’s covered by disability and education legislation. Make a note of these and know them.
8. Ask for help for you and your child. See if there is a support group on social media or in person in your locality. Talking to other parents is key for you. Meeting others with dypraxia, or another hidden disability,  is also vital for your child’s self-esteem.
9. Speak to the school to make sure they are putting in to place an IEP (Individual Education Plan), don’t assume they have done so. You should get a copy (remember I said you need to be organised). Make an appointment to see their teacher if they have only one, if not ask to speak to the Year Head. Take someone with you who can take notes or ask questions. Make sure you have a list of questions written down you may want to ask.
10. Bring a copy of your child’s report to the meeting, if they are already having resource hours try to see both teachers at the same time. If the school got the educational assessment done then ask for a copy of the report you are entitled to one. Always keep these until the new one is completed, you will need them at various stages to get accommodations in state exams.
11. It’s your job to help build your child’s self-esteem, so make home a safe place. Don’t focus too much on the negative but always emphasise the positive skills and attributes they have.
12. Teach your child to self-advocate, as they older they will need to be able to do this. So by the time they go to college they can handle talking to and getting resources by themselves quite comfortable. Remember to teach them they can have an advocate present in any meeting, they are never alone.

Further Information:

http://www.dyspraxia.ie for support and information.

Work With Me.

Remember you are allowed to ask for support. No one is an island. If you need extra support then you can also work with me. We all struggle with stress and overwhelm from time to time. If you find this has become a problem for you and you’d like some support then schedule an appointment with me.