The Dyspraxia Foundation has announced Dyspraxia Awareness Day on 7th
July 2005 in a bid to raise awareness of a condition that affects
approximately 10% of the population in the UK and is on the rise.
This year, local groups all around the country will hold events to raise
funds and awareness for children suffering from the condition.
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Developmental dyspraxia is an
impairment or immaturity of the organisation of movement. This affects
the way in which the brain processes information, resulting
in messages not being properly or fully transmitted. It is associated with
problems of perception, language and thought. Statistics show that males are
four times more likely to be affected than females and that Dyspraxia sometimes
runs in families.
According to the Dyspraxia Foundation the condition manifests
itself in a variety of symptoms that can be observed in children as young as
three years old in the following ways:
�Late in reaching milestones
e.g. rolling over, sitting, standing, walking, and speaking.
Unable to run, hop, jump, or catch or
kick a ball like their peers.
Difficulty in keeping friends; or
judging how to behave in company.
Little understanding of concepts such
as �in�, �on�, �in front of �etc
Difficulty in walking up and down
stairs.�
Poor at dressing.
Slow and hesitant in most
actions.
�Unable to learn anything instinctively,
must always be taught skills.
Falls over frequently.
Poor pencil grip.
Cannot do jigsaws or shape sorting
games.
Artwork is very immature.
Often anxious and easily distracted.
Not Clumsy, Not Naughty � Dyspraxic - Dyspraxia Awareness Day,
7th July 2005
Dr Madeleine Portwood, Chair of the Dyspraxia Foundation Education
Committee has recently completed a trial with 200 three-year-old children from
nurseries in CountyDurham. Upon the initial
screening more than 50% of the children were not at a motor level of competence
expected, the figure should be 10% at most. Dr Portwood put together a series
of structured motor activities for all of the children to join in. The
children were reassessed after one term at school and 93% of the children were
now at the normal motor competence level with only 7% still experiencing
difficulties, the expected level as the condition affects approximately 1 in 10
of the UK population.
Dr Portwood concludes, "Many children who display signs of
dyspraxia at an early age will find their problems persisting and getting worse
which will have a direct impact on future learning. There are two reasons for
these problems; firstly, children are not given the chance to develop their
motor skills through active, physical play and spend far too much time seated,
either watching television or playing on computers. Secondly is poor diet
with a particular focus on essential fatty acid deficiency, which has been
linked with other learning conditions such as dyslexia and AD/HD."
