Dyspraxia - Symptoms, causes and treatment

Dyspraxia is a movement and coordination disorder due to abnormalities in the development of the nervous system. Dyspraxia is a congenital disorder, but it is not always detectable from birth.

Dyspraxia is different from apraxia, although they sound similar. Dyspraxia is characterized by a delay in a child reaching a point of development that should have been achieved by a child his age. While apraxia will be characterized by the loss of certain abilities that were previously possessed or mastered.

Dyspraxia can happen to anyone, but this condition is more common in men. Dyspraxia is not related to the level of intelligence, but can reduce the sufferer's ability to learn. This condition can also affect the self-confidence of the sufferer.

Causes and Risk Factors of Dyspraxia

Until now, the cause of dyspraxia is still unknown. However, it is suspected that this condition occurs due to disturbances in the development of the nervous system in the brain. This can interfere with the flow of nerve signals from the brain to the limbs.

Coordination and movement of limbs is a complex process involving various nerves and parts of the brain. If there is a disturbance in one nerve or part of the brain, dyspraxia can occur.

There are several things that can increase a person's risk of developing dyspraxia, namely:

Premature birth, which is born before 37 weeks of gestation
Born with low birth weight (LBW)
Having a family member who suffers from dyspraxia or coordination disorders
Born to a mother who smoked, consumed alcohol, or used drugs during pregnancy

Symptoms of Dyspraxia

Dyspraxia is characterized by delayed motor development and impaired coordination. Symptoms and complaints experienced by people with dyspraxia can be different for each patient.

Babies with dyspraxia experience delays to reach a point of development that should have been reached by babies his age. Some examples of dyspraxia symptoms that can be seen in infants are:

Late sitting, crawling, standing, or walking
Has difficulty performing movements that require coordination, such as stacking blocks or reaching for objects

At school age, children with dyspraxia are often unable to complete schoolwork, appear lazy, and careless. In general, the symptoms of dyspraxia that can be seen in children are:

Careless, such as frequently bumping or dropping things
Difficulty concentrating, following instructions, and understanding information
Difficulty organizing yourself and completing tasks
Difficult or slow to learn new things
Difficult to make new friends
Looks lazy to study
Difficult or slow to dress or tie shoelaces

Dyspraxia can also continue into adolescence and adulthood. Symptoms of dyspraxia that can be seen at this age are clumsiness, carelessness, not good at socializing, difficulty doing sports and arts activities, and lack of confidence.

When to go to the doctor

Immediately consult a doctor if your child has complaints or symptoms as mentioned above. You also need to take your child to the doctor if you notice any disturbances or delays in growth and development.

Early examination and treatment is needed so that children can catch up, and to prevent complications in the future.

Dyspraxia Diagnosis

To diagnose dyspraxia, the doctor will conduct questions and answers with parents regarding the complaints or symptoms experienced by the child, history of pregnancy, childbirth, growth and development, as well as the child's and family's health history.

Next, the doctor will perform an anthropometric examination to assess the child's growth. The doctor will also assess the child's development, for example by Denver scoring. To assess a child's development, the doctor may ask the child to write, draw, jump, arrange blocks, grip, or perform other simple movements.

Keep in mind that not all children who appear clumsy or sluggish have dyspraxia. A child is said to have dyspraxia if he has movement and coordination abilities that are far below the average for his age, and this delay causes disturbances in his activities.

The diagnosis can lead to dyspraxia if the above symptoms appear since childhood and no other condition is detected that causes these symptoms.

Dyspraxia Treatment

Until now, there is no treatment that can cure dyspraxia. In some people with dyspraxia, especially those with mild symptoms, this disorder may improve with age.

Doctors will recommend parents and families to routinely provide stimulation to children with dyspraxia. People around the child, including teachers and caregivers, also need to be informed and given an understanding of this condition. The goal is to prevent stigma or bad perceptions that can worsen the child's condition.

Support from parents and the people around is very important to help children with dyspraxia catch up with delays and overcome obstacles they are experiencing.

In addition, there are several therapies that can be given by doctors to help people with dyspraxia, namely:

Occupational therapy, to teach practical ways to carry out daily routines
Physiotherapy or physical therapy, to improve motor skills
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), to change the patient's mindset towards his limitations, so that the behavior and feelings of the sufferer become better

Dyspraxia Complications

Developmental delays and coordination disorders that are not treated properly can cause dyspraxia sufferers to experience the following conditions:

Difficult to socialize
Experiencing bullying
Suffering from behavior disorder
Not confident

While in adulthood, dyspraxia can cause sufferers to have explosive emotions, phobias, or obsessive-compulsive behavior.

In addition, there are also several conditions that are often associated or co-occurring with dyspraxia, namely ADHD, dyslexia, autism, or language apraxia.

Dyspraxia Prevention

Because the cause of dyspraxia is unknown, there is no definite way to prevent this condition. However, to reduce the risk of developmental disorders in children, there are several ways that mothers can do during pregnancy, namely: