I learned recently, on LinkedIn of all places, that this week (6th-12 October) is Dyspraxia Awareness Week, and as someone with Dyspraxia, I feel it’s only right that I celebrate it.

What is Dyspraxia?

Dypraxia, also known as Developmental Co-ordination Disorder (DCD), is a neurodevelopmental condition that can affect a person’s coordination and balance, as well as their ability to tie their shoelaces, complete tasks that require dexterity, such as holding small objects and writing with a pen or pencil. Dyspraxia does not affect a person’s intelligence, but it can affect how people learn. It is a condition that people are born with, not something you develop later in life

What causes Dyspraxia?

It’s generally unclear what causes Dyspraxia, as coordination is quite a complex process that involves many parts of the brain and nerves communicating with each other in certain ways. Although the causes are not entirely understood, there are a few things that could potentially increase the risk of a child being born with Dyspraxia, these include:

• Being born prematurely (before the 37th week of pregnancy).
• Being born with a low birth weight.
• A family history of Dyspraxia/DCD (it’s unknown which gene in particular causes it).
• The mother drinking alcohol or taking drugs while pregnant.

I was diagnosed with Dyspraxia at the age of 8. Growing up, I struggled with hand-eye (or foot-eye) coordination, particularly when playing sports. Spatial Awreness is also something I’ve struggled with, trying to work out how certain things fit together or how something would look in a certain space. I also didn’t learn to ride a bike until I was about 18, as the coordination and balance required were something I struggled with growing up.

I always struggled with handwriting in school; holding a pen or pencil made my hands hurt. I don’t know if I weirdly held them or not; maybe I did, and I wasn’t aware of it.

There is some overlap between Dypraxia and other Neurodivergent conditions, such as Autism and ADHD, but they are their own own conditions and you can have one and not the others.

If anyone has any questions about Dyspraxia, or what it’s like living with the condition, feel free to ask them!