Dyspraxia, like many other neurodivergences, is a natural variation in human neurotypes and experience. Dyspraxic individuals experience the world differently – they struggle with coordination, movement, language, speech and independence in a world often designed and designated for neurotypical individuals. We need to shifting our understanding of dyspraxia from a purely medical perspective to one informed by the social model of disability. The ableist environment can devalue and misunderstand dyspraxic people. Dyspraxia awareness is crucial to combat the lack of knowledge and care for this group. Dyspraxic individuals can contribute to neurodiversity by advocating for a more inclusive and accepting environment.
There are various labels for dyspraxia, each with embodied assumptions. Each term reflects the evolving understandings of the neurodivergence, including perceptual-motor difficulties, sensorimotor dysfunction, and developmental dyspraxia, all now broadly categorized under developmental coordination disorder (DSM-IV, American Psychiatric Association, 2000). However, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5, APA, 2013), dyspraxia is a deficit in acquiring and executing coordinated motor skills, leading to difficulties manifesting as clumsiness, slowness, and inaccuracy, particularly in fine motor tasks (e.g., using scissors). Daily living activities appropriate for age, such as self-care, can also be impacted. While this medical definition is helpful for diagnosis and access to intervention (American Psychiatric Association, 2013), it overlooks a crucial aspect of dyspraxia: the significant heterogeneity within this group. Put simply, the definition fails to capture the wide range of experience and presentation of dyspraxia. Notably, speech, a commonly reported struggle among dyspraxic individuals (Gibbs et al., 2007), including the author, is often excluded from the DSM-5 criteria.
A comprehensive understanding of dyspraxia should include the lived experience of dyspraxic individuals, recognizing their identity as shaped by both community and individual experiences, and diverse intersecting identities (e.g., race, gender, and other neurodivergences; Elsherif et al., 2022). Operating within an ableist society (i.e., certain neurotypical values are valued over others; Wolbring, 2008) that devalues neurodiversity, dyspraxic individuals encounter systemic barriers and social exclusion, leading to trauma and internalized self-doubt (e.g., Bart et al., 2011; Missiuna et al., 2006; van der Linde et al., 2015). These daily encounters, marked by misunderstanding and the struggle to meet societal expectations, can lead to dyspraxic individuals being viewed as a burden (e.g., Bart et al., 2011; van der Linde et al., 2015). While these experiences of social exclusion and internalized doubt are shared with many neurodivergent individuals, dyspraxia uniquely manifests in significant challenges with motor coordination and planning.
For instance, while an ADHDer might struggle with focus during a task, a dyspraxic individual may struggle with the physical execution of that task, such as writing legibly or coordinating movements in a team sport. Similarly, while autistic individuals may experience sensory overload, dyspraxic individuals might experience sensory overload that is compounded by difficulties processing spatial awareness and body positioning, leading to clumsiness and difficulty navigating their environment. For instance, the dyspraxic individual may misjudge distances between objects, struggle to maintain balance while turning corners and interpreting spatial cues such as the layout of hallways or the locations of doorways in visually busy or poorly lit environments. This sensorimotor interaction can lead to bumping into walls or furniture, difficulty orienting oneself, and increased anxiety in an unfamiliar or crowded environment, potentially leading to a dyspraxic meltdown. This crucial distinction in motor-based challenges, from fine motor skills like buttoning a shirt to gross motor skills like walking without bumping into things, sets dyspraxia apart from other neurodivergences in everyday contexts. As a result, dyspraxic individuals form their understanding of dyspraxia on both individual and social levels, bringing these insights into every interaction (Figure 1).
Dyspraxia, also known as Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects how the brain plans, organises, and carries out movement and actions. But here is what most people get wrong: it is not just about being clumsy.
Dyspraxia affects coordination, yes. But it also affects memory, organisation, attention, time management, and the sheer cognitive load of getting through an ordinary day. It affects around 1 in 20 people, making it more common than most people realise.
Blog: What Is dyspraxia and why does it matter for autistic people? | Autism Central
Adults with dyspraxia can struggle with organisation, timekeeping, navigation, multitasking, managing demanding environments, and executive functioning — planning, starting tasks, and maintaining routines. It can affect work, relationships, independent living, and mental health in ways that are rarely connected back to dyspraxia, because nobody told them that was the reason.
Blog: What Is dyspraxia and why does it matter for autistic people? | Autism Central
Signs
Signs in children
- Messy or slow handwriting
- Difficulty using scissors, glue, buttons, zips or cutlery
- Trouble tying shoelaces or getting dressed
- Clumsiness, tripping, bumping into things
- Difficulty catching, throwing, kicking or balancing
- Avoiding PE, sports or practical activities
- Trouble following multi-step instructions
- Losing belongings or having a messy tray, desk or school bag
- Difficulty with sequencing, planning or staying organised
- Confusion with left and right
- Taking longer than peers to complete tasks
- Becoming frustrated, anxious or avoidant around physical or practical tasks
- How it may be misunderstood in school
- Slow work may be misread as laziness
- Messy handwriting may be misread as carelessness
- Poor organisation may be misread as not trying
- Clumsiness may be misread as awkwardness
- Difficulty following instructions may be misread as not listening
- Avoiding group activities may be misread as poor behaviour or disengagement
Signs in adults
- Ongoing difficulties with organisation and time management
- Trouble keeping on top of routines, appointments or deadlines
- Difficulty with typing, writing or practical tasks
- Challenges with driving or spatial awareness
- Finding household tasks, budgeting or personal care more demanding than expected
- Feeling overwhelmed in busy environments
- Emotional regulation feels harder under stress
- Feeling that everyday life takes more effort than it seems to for others
Blog: What Is dyspraxia and why does it matter for autistic people? | Autism Central