Dyspraxia and apraxia both deal with the concept of motor planning. Apraxia is the ability to plan and execute an unfamiliar motor task, movement, or sequence. To effectively motor plan, the person must first have an idea (think mental picture) of what needs to happen to complete the movement or movements. The brain must receive the appropriate information/input, then the body must have the ability to adjust to time and space to execute the movement.

Those with dyspraxia (which is a developmental coordination disorder, DCD) have a “marked impairment in the development of motor coordination…only if this impairment significantly interferes with academic achievement or activities of daily living…and is not due to a general medical condition,” (American Psychiatric Assoc, 1994) Someone who has dyspraxia or DCD has difficulty learning new skills that involve using the body. They may need extra practice or even repeat the same actions even if they are unsuccessful, simply because they can’t envision a different way to try to complete a task. They may need visual cues, to watch someone else complete the movement or task repeatedly, in order to figure out how to complete the movement themselves. Someone with dyspraxia may have problems with organizing the content and sequence of their language, have poor fine and gross motor skills, have sensory integration problems, and may even have difficulty organizing their thoughts, learning and concentrating.

There are many specialists and therapists who can help diagnose and assist those with dyspraxia. If you are concerned about your child, always start with your child’s pediatrician. Your pediatrician may recommend an assessment by any number of professionals, including but not limited to early interventionist, occupational therapist, physical therapist, neurologist, audiologist, geneticist, speech language therapist, recreational therapist and psychologist/psychiatrist. Each of these professionals has a specialty which could help to assess your child.