What is dyspraxia?
By Gail Belsky
Expert reviewed by Bob Cunningham, EdM
At a glance
Dyspraxia refers to trouble with motor skills, balance, and coordination.
The term dyspraxia has been around a long time, but it isn’t an official diagnosis.
There are many ways to improve motor skills.
Dyspraxia is a term that refers to lifelong trouble with movement and coordination. It’s not a formal diagnosis. But you may still hear people use this term, especially in the U.K. The formal diagnosis is developmental coordination disorder (DCD).
People with these challenges can struggle with balance, coordination, and motor skills. These include:
Fine motor skills (for making small movements like using a pencil)
Gross motor skills (for making large movements like kicking a ball)
Motor planning (for doing multi-step tasks like tying a shoe)
The difficulties usually don’t exist on their own. People often have other challenges, too, including:
Transcription and handwriting difficulties, like dysgraphia
Sensory processing issues
Mental health issues, like anxiety
Slow processing speed
Autism
Struggles with motor skills can impact learning, working, and daily living. But people with dyspraxia are just as smart as other people. And there are many ways to help at home, at school, and on the job.
