Dyspraxia is a neurological disorder that impacts fine and/or gross motor skills. Children with dyspraxia appear awkward when moving their whole bodies, or use too much or too little force. When a child has dyspraxia, he often can’t imitate others, often mixes up the steps in a sequence, and can’t come up with new ideas during play.
Dyspraxia is sometimes called “clumsy child syndrome” and is often considered ubiquitous with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), a unique but very similar diagnosis also associated with poor eye-hand coordination, posture, and balance. Up to 50 percent of children with DCD, which is more common in boys than girls, meet the diagnostic criteria for ADHD.
Symptoms of dyspraxia show up at home and in the classroom. Coordination difficulties affect aspects of daily life like brushing teeth, getting dressed, and doing laundry. Social skills, academic performance, and physical independence can all be influenced by dyspraxia. An overdue diagnosis of dyspraxia can greatly affect the self-confidence and achievement of a child, even if he or she has an average or above-average IQ.
Use this free dyspraxia symptom test to determine whether your child might be showing signs consistent with dyspraxia. Any positive results should be discussed with your child’s school or pediatrician.
Based on information from the Dyspraxia Foundation USA. This dyspraxia symptom test is not intended to diagnose or to replace the care of an educational professional. Only a trained healthcare or education professional can make a diagnosis. This self-test is for personal use only.