Indicators of Dyspraxia/DCD

Dyspraxia/DCD in the Pre-School Child

Indicators may include:

  • History of lateness reaching milestones e.g. rolling over, sitting, walking and speaking
  • May not be able to run, hop or jump
  • Appears not to be able to learn anything instinctively but must be taught skills
  • Poor at dressing
  • Slow and hesitant in most actions
  • Poor pencil grip
  • Cannot do jigsaw or shape sorting games
  • Art work is very immature
  • Has no understanding of in/on/behind/in front of etc
  • Unable to kick or catch a ball

Dyspraxia/DCD in the School Age Child

Indicators may include:

  • All the problems of the pre-school child may still be present with little or no improvement
  • Physical Education is avoided
  • The child does badly in class but significantly better on a one-to-one basis
  • Attention span is poor and the child may react to stimuli without discrimination
  • May have trouble with Maths, copying from the blackboard
  • Writing is laborious and immature
  • Unable to remember and / or follow instruction
  • Generally poorly organised
  • Commonly anxious and distractible
  • Finds it difficult to keep friends or judge how to behave in company
  • Difficulty sitting for long periods

Children with Dyspraxia/DCD can be of average or above average intelligence but are often behaviorally immature. They try hard to fit in to socially accepted behavior when at school but often throw tantrums when at home. They may find it difficult to understand logic and reason.

Not all children with Dyspraxia/DCD have all these problems. Many parents will say that their children have some of these problems, but if your child has dyspraxia, either diagnosed or not, you may have observed a cluster of these difficulties.

There is no cure for Dyspraxia/DCD, but the earlier a child is treated, the greater the chance of improvement will be.  A lot of the skills that we take for granted will never become automatic for children with Dyspraxia/DCD, so they will have to be taught these skills. Occupational therapists, physiotherapists, and extra help at school can all assist these children with coping or overcoming many of the difficulties they face.

Starting School

Starting School - Guidelines for Parents / Guardians of Children with Special Needs

Starting School - Guidelines for Parents / Guardians of Children with Special Needs

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