What is Dyspraxia?
Dyspraxia, also known as developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is a chronic and usually permanent condition found in children between the ages of 6 to 12 years of age. The current prevalence amongst school aged children is 5% to 8%, with more boys being affected than girls. It is often characterized by motor impairment that interferes with the child’s activities of daily living and academic achievement (Banhart et al., 2003). It is said to be a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects both fine and gross motor skills, as well as difficulties in language, perception, thought, eye movements, and more (Ball, 2002). According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder (American Psychiatric Association, 2013), DCD causes clumsiness, slowness or inaccuracy in performing coordinated motor skills. DCD is present at birth, leading into childhood and adulthood, meaning that it is a lifelong disease.
