Dyspraxia
Dyspraxia is a common disorder affecting an individuals ability to move and co-ordinate their movements. Dyspraxia is also known as developmental co-ordination disorder (DCD).
- What is dyspraxia?
- Effects of dyspraxia
- Physiotherapy treatment for dyspraxia
- Benefits of physiotherapy treatment for dyspraxia
What is dyspraxia?
Dyspraxia is a disorder of the processes in the brain which are involved in the coordination of muscle movement. Nerve cells called motor neurons transmit nervous impulses from the brain to the muscles causing them to contract. Contraction results in movement.
Dyspraxia is thought to occur as a result of a problem in the development of motor neurons. When motor neurons do not develop properly they cannot form good connections with muscles. As a result motor neurons cannot effectively transmit nervous impulses from the brain to the desired muscles. Consequently the muscles cannot respond to the brains command which wants them to contract. This means that the muscles are unable to perform movements in a smooth, coordinated way. The development of motor neurons occurs in the early stages of human development and therefore symptoms of dyspraxia present themselves in the early stages of infancy. For this reason dyspraxia is also referred to as clumsy child syndrome.
At Liverpool Neuro Physio we have a team of experienced physiotherapists who specialise in treating children with neurological conditions such as dyspraxia. Our physiotherapists can help maximise your childs motor development by providing them with treatments to help address their lack of coordination and muscle control.
Effects of dyspraxia
Dyspraxia can affect a childs intellectual, social and emotional development. As a result dyspraxia can cause difficulties with a childs ability to speak, to concentrate and learn as well as their ability to socially interact with their peers and others; often resulting in behavioural problems. The following physical effects of dyspraxia can be successfully managed with physiotherapy:
Difficulties performing smooth movements
Individuals with dyspraxia often experience difficulties performing smooth movements due to a lack of body awareness and awkwardness when moving. This can affect your childs ability to perform gross motor skills such as walking and running as well as affecting your childs ability to perform fine motor skills such as fastening buttons and putting small objects into specific holes. As a result your child may experience a delay in reaching natural milestones such as rolling over, sitting up, crawling, standing and walking.
Difficulties coordinating movement
Individuals with dyspraxia often experience difficulties coordinating their movements, especially in physical activities which require the use of eye-hand coordination; such as catching a ball, and eye-foot co-ordination; such as running.
At Liverpool Neuro Physio our physiotherapists are concerned with the motor development of your child. Therefore we aim to address the above problems, as by improving your childs motor skills we are influencing the development of your childs social skills and emotions.
Physiotherapy treatment for dyspraxia
At Liverpool Neuro Physio we understand the impact dyspraxia can have on your childs life as well as your childs family, and although your childs dyspraxia cannot be cured; our experienced paediatric neurological physiotherapists can teach your child ways in which to cope with their problems. Once dyspraxia has been medically diagnosed it is very important that physiotherapy treatment commences as early as possible in order to increase your childs chances of improvement. However, physiotherapy treatment of dyspraxia can be beneficial at any stage.
Initially, your childs physiotherapist will complete a thorough assessment of your childs condition in order to identify specific problems your child is having difficulties with. Subsequently the physiotherapist will devise a plan of goal based treatments, cohesively decided upon by the physiotherapist, the parents and the child. The aim of physiotherapy treatment for dyspraxia is to improve your childs developmental motor abilities, as well as facilitating the development of your childs self-confidence and esteem. The physiotherapist will provide your child with various exercises, all of which will be based around fun activities and games:
- Strengthening exercises and stretching exercises will help to increase your childs muscle function, as well as preventing muscle spasms and cramping.
- Your childs balance will be improved by exercises which focus on their core stability.
- Gait training will improve the coordination of your childs limbs during gross motor skills such as walking and running.
- Task practice such as catching balls and moving small objects will help improve your childs fine motor skill ability. Once your child begins to develop new motor skills they will be able to do things they never could before, as a result your childs self-confidence will also improve.
At Liverpool Neuro Physio, your childs physiotherapist will liaise with teaching staff; whom are involved with your child, to give advice and support which will help facilitate your childs development in the classroom and to provide them with the opportunities to practice newly acquired motor skills.
Benefits of physiotherapy treatment for dyspraxia
At Liverpool Neuro Physio our team of experienced paediatric neurological physiotherapists can provide you child with the highest quality of care in order to your child cope with the effects of dyspraxia. Successful management of your childs dyspraxia may result in the following benefits
- Improved and maintained mobility
- Improved balance and coordination
- Reduced number of falls
- Reduced muscle spasm
- Improved muscle strength and function
- Improved confidence
- Improved independence
- Improved quality of life
- If your child has been diagnosed with dyspraxia then our physiotherapists at Liverpool Neuro Physio can help you and your child to manage your childs condition. Our aim is to ensure that your child gets the best out of our physiotherapy services.
To arrange an appointment or to speak to one of our specialists, call us on 0151 558 0188 or email office@liverpoolneurophysio.co.uk.