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Dyspraxia, also known as Clumsy Child Syndrome, is an impairment of motor coordination. Disturbances may include walking, speaking, and perception. According to estimates, this problem affects about 6% of children in Poland.
Dyspraxia – symptoms
One of the symptoms dyspraxia there is an imbalance. A six-year-old child with this disorder has difficulty jumping on one leg or throwing and catching a ball. The use of simple objects, e.g. crayons or a pencil, is also a problem. Dyspraxia makes it difficult for children to color and write. Another z symptoms there is slower learning. There are problems with remembering names and it takes more time to learn. Moreover, at this age dyspraxia manifests itself through a more difficult control of emotions, which results in outbursts of anger or crying.
An eight-year-old child experiences additional difficulties. At this age, one of symptoms there is a problem with writing fluently. In addition, there is a distortion in the perception of distance and time. As for the emotional sphere, the child with the disorder dyspraxia he does not present his own opinions so as not to offend others. Abnormalities in motor coordination are manifested by failure to cope with bathing or preparing meals. The child also has problems with the correct use of school supplies. The social sphere of life is becoming more and more complicated and problematic. As you can see, dyspraxia is a complex handicap which requires comprehensive treatment.
Diagnosis of dyspraxia
Correct diagnosis dyspraxia is crucial for taking further steps and therapeutic work. Due to the wide range symptomsthat overlaps with other disorders dyspraxia diagnosed relatively rarely. Moreover, there are no standardized tools for examining handicap. It is helpful to verify the opinion of a wide group of people in contact with the child. Assessment of parents, teachers, doctors etc. should be collected. Creating an overall vision of the child is helpful in identifying their problems.
Dyspraxia – treatment
Treatment dyspraxia takes place on several levels and requires the action of several specialists. I am talking about a speech therapist, psychologist, teachers or physiotherapist. There are many different exercises in therapy to improve your child’s mobility, coordination and other skills. For this reason, for example, exercises that require you to do several things at the same time are used. An example is singing, dancing and standing on one leg. Another way is choreotherapy, i.e. dance therapy, music therapy or hippotherapy, i.e. rehabilitation treatment with the help of horses. It is also helpful to perform various physical activities, such as gymnastics or regular going to the swimming pool. Keep in mind that dyspraxia it is incurable, but regular therapy helps keep you in good shape and minimizes the negative symptoms of impairment.
The importance of parents and the environment in therapy in connection with dyspraxia
It is very important that the child’s entire environment contributes to his therapy. Comprehensive information from various sources will allow you to identify the child’s problems and indicate the most important disorders that should be worked on during therapy. For this reason, good communication between parents and teachers is essential. The latter should be aware of the child’s shortcomings and enable them to function in the best possible way without exposing them to additional problems, especially emotional ones. Parents should also inform the school of any restrictions. It is also important that other children around them are aware of what it is dyspraxiaso that they know how to behave in the presence of someone with the disorder. This is important for the emotional state of the baby. The role of the teacher in the whole process is very important. He should remember about a special approach to the child with dyspraxiaby giving him more time to complete tasks, repeat orders, show kindness and understanding and praise for small successes that motivate him to take further steps. A positive environment will help the child find himself in it easier and minimize any stimuli that may negatively affect his condition, such as anger or bitterness.
Parents also need to be understanding and supportive at every stage of the child. It is worth learning more about dyspraxiato better react and help the child with therapy and minimize negative effects. In the first stage, the parents do not realize the problem because it is not a widely discussed topic. In addition, the symptoms dyspraxia overlap with other childhood diseases. It is important that parents do not feel lonely and left with a problem. It may be helpful to keep in touch with other parents whose children have the same problem. The exchange of experiences and knowledge may positively influence the continuation of children’s therapy. In addition, there are courses where parents have the opportunity to gain comprehensive knowledge about dyspraxia and dealing with it.