Dyspraxia

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Developmental dyspraxia -also known as developmental co-ordination disorder - is an impairment of the ‘organisation of movement' which results in problems with language, perception and thought.

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Symptoms can be seen in babies, with the child being irritable, significant feeding problems, slow to achieve developmental milestones and often failure to crawl.

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If untreated, by age 3-5 your child may demonstrate high levels of excitement and be “on the go” constantly. This may be accompanied by “clumsy” behaviour and a lack of awareness of danger. Fine motor skills may be affected and the child will avoid activities that require this skill. Their play and communication skills will be limited, which will begin to isolate them from other children.

Dyspraxia is thought to affect up to 10 percent of the population in varying degrees, meaning that in each classroom there will be at least one child with this disorder. Dyspraxia may be diagnosed at any stage of life although increasing numbers of children are being diagnosed with this condition.

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Much can be done to help a child with dyspraxia, particularly if the condition is diagnosed early on. Early intervention can maximise the speed and level of progress your child makes, and can give you time to prepare your child for the teenage years when social and co-ordination difficulties can present the greatest challenge.

 

Even if dyspraxia is identified later in life, much can be still done. Many adults with dyspraxia can progress so well that they learn to function and behave in a way that makes them indistinguishable from those around them who aren’t affected by dyspraxia.

 

Our partners at NETwork Interventions have years of experience of helping children with dyspraxia overcome obstacles and learn new skills. In many cases the symptoms of this disorder can be reversed or significantly reduced using Verbal Behaviour techniques.

The starting point is for us to undertake a full assessment of your child, enabling us to identify the precise struggles your child has. Once you are happy with our report and recommendations, we design and implement a programme of interventions for your child, working closely with your whole family to help maximise your child’s progress.

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Some of the results you can expect from a Verbal Behaviour programme include:

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• Lower risk of developing acquired disorders associated with dyspraxia including anxiety disorder, challenging behaviour, and depression.

• Greater confidence and self esteem, often resulting in a more contented child.

• More effective language and communication skills, reducing feelings of frustration and isolation and giving way to new skills and better behaviour.

• Improved attention and concentration allowing your child to enjoy learning and perform better at school.

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Dyspraxia is often dubbed ‘clumsy child syndrome’ and many children with this condition are simply passed off as being ‘clumsy’, ‘difficult’ or ‘naughty’. This means that many children miss out on the help and teaching they desperately need. By identifying and addressing the root of a child’s academic or behavioural struggles, we can put a programme in place to teach your child to replace problem behaviours and challenges with new skills and behaviours.

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