What is dyspraxia?
Dyspraxia, often referred to as developmental coordination disorder (DCD), is a neurodevelopmental difference that affects the brain’s ability to plan, sequence, and carry out movements. It is not laziness or lack of intelligence. Kids and teens may know exactly what they want to do, tying shoes or writing a sentence, but organizing the steps and coordinating the body can feel like directing traffic in fog.
Medical fact: DCD affects about 5 to 6 percent of school-age children (Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology).
What it can look like day to day
Common signs include frequent tripping, fatigue with playground skills, messy or slow handwriting, trouble with buttons or zippers, and challenges with multi-step routines. Some children also find ball skills, spacing on paper, or rhythm-based tasks difficult. Frustration can build quickly, which is understandable when tasks take more effort and more time than for peers.
How occupational therapy supports progress
Occupational therapy focuses on functional goals that matter to the child and family, then builds the underlying motor planning, strength, and sensory foundations to reach them. Therapists use task-specific practice, break activities into manageable steps, and provide the right level of cues, visual models, and feedback. Sessions might target bilateral coordination for cutting and catching, core stability for posture at the desk, or visual motor integration for legible handwriting. Practice is varied and meaningful so skills transfer from sessions to home and school. Adaptations, such as pencil grips, shoe-tying aids, or seated positioning, are paired with skill-building so children experience success while muscles and motor plans develop.
Skills grow with practice, predictability, and patience, not pressure.
Simple ways to help at home and school
- Break tasks into 2 to 3 steps, teach one step at a time.
- Use visual checklists and sample models as memory anchors.
- Practice briefly, five to ten minutes, several times per week.
- Choose tools that match the task, like wider pencils or elastic laces.
- Lower the motor load when teaching new ideas, then add complexity.
- Notice effort, name what went well, and celebrate small wins.
With informed support and consistent practice, children with dyspraxia can build confident, practical skills that open doors in play, learning, and daily life.