Dyspraxia – what exactly is it?
Children suffering from dyspraxia are seen as being clumsy and slow. They have difficulty with everyday tasks, such as dressing themselves or eating without spilling. Sufferers also frequently drop things or struggle to manipulate objects like scissors, keys, and compasses. As for more complex tasks like writing or activities involving spatial orientation, these can also present real challenges.
Given how poorly understood, even unknown, this disability is, the French national institute for health and medical research (Inserm) has published a report collecting together expert knowledge on the disorder to raise awareness. The report underlines the need for more efficient therapy as well as more precise and standardised diagnostic criteria.
To limit how much these young sufferers’ lives are affected by this disorder, it is important to act quickly. At the moment, the treatment consists of group or individual therapy sessions aimed at increasing patients’ autonomy in everyday actions, but the hope is that, in the future, new approaches will be found.