Kathy Hoopmann - All about Dyspraxia: Understanding Developmental Coordination Disorder

ALL ABOUT DYSPRAXIA Understanding Developmental Coordination Disorder KATHY HOOPMANN This book is dedicated to the dyspraxic community worldwide.
Thank you for sharing your stories with me. In the past, dyspraxia has been called Childhood Motor Deficiency Syndrome, Clumsy Child Syndrome and Perceptual Motor Dysfunction, among other terms. The word dyspraxia does not appear in the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), where the condition is called Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). Dyspraxia is frequently co-morbid with other conditions such as autism, ADHD and dyslexia, to name just a few. However, all this clinical talk cannot take away from the fact that with awareness and support from those around them, people with dyspraxia can learn and thrive. They have bright, inquisitive minds, are great at thinking outside the box, and often succeed in their chosen fields through determination and hard work and a good dose of humour.

To truly understand the strengths and challenges of dyspraxia and then to encapsulate its essence into a picture book, I needed a lot of help. Particular thanks go to the following people for their time, wisdom, insight, feedback, encouragement and editing skills: Judit Kiss, Alison Patrick, Kylie Cox and Carter, Warren Fried, Dr Kieran Flannigan, Kirsten Harpley, Samantha Fleming Elders and Kai, Helen Green, Gwen Liddle, Abigail Smith, Rhonda Valentine Dixon, Susie Griffiths, Rebecca Houkamau and last but not least to my husband, Errol Hoopmann. Some people think dyspraxia is all about
being clumsy, but there is much more to it. Those with dyspraxia have brains that are wired differently
from others. This can affect many parts of their lives, from how
they move to how they think, learn and manage their day. The messages from their brains to their bodies are mixed up
or delayed, which leads to all sorts of challenges. They can trip over anything, even things that arent there, and
can feel unsteady just walking from one place to the next. Getting dressed can be tricky, and buttons and shoelaces are hard to master. They often topple, spill or break things, even though they try to be careful. They are not sure what strength to apply so may
use too much pressure, or not enough. Their skills might be uneven. Their skills might be uneven.

For example, they may be
able to read music, but not play an instrument. Learning to balance or ride can take a long time, and sports can be challenging. They can become good at avoiding activities
if they fear that they might fail, and need understanding and
encouragement to keep trying. When activities are broken down into smaller parts, and they
are given heaps of practice, they manage much better. It helps when they are shown what to do. Mixed messages from the brain can also cause low muscle tone so those with dyspraxia may do tasks more slowly than others. Some have extra flexible joints that are easily
stretched, which makes their body ache. Even sitting uses loads of muscles, so they cant do that for long! Besides, they listen better when they move. Reading may be tiring as its not easy to track each line. Letters may blend together until one word blurs with the next. Copying from a board can be tough, and often their writing is messy and difficult to read.