Developmental Coordination Disorder
Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), also known as Dyspraxia, is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects a child’s ability to plan and coordinate movements. Children with DCD may experience difficulties with activities that require motor skills, such as tying shoelaces, using utensils, or participating in sports.
In day-to-day life, DCD/Dyspraxia can have various effects on a child:
- Motor Skills: Children with DCD may have trouble with fine motor skills (e.g., writing, drawing) and gross motor skills (e.g., running, jumping), or life skills like riding a bike and swimming. Watch my explаnation on my tiktok @codex360_movetolearn about riding a bike and swimming.
- Self-Care: Activities like dressing themselves, brushing teeth, or tying shoelaces can be challenging.
- Academic Performance: Difficulties with handwriting and other fine motor skills may impact their academic achievements.
- Social Interactions: The struggle with coordination can lead to challenges in participating in sports or games, potentially affecting social interactions and self-esteem.
- Emotional Impact: Frustration and anxiety may arise due to their struggles, impacting their emotional well-being.
Early identification and intervention, such as therapy, can help children with DCD improve their motor skills and overall quality of life. Encouragement and support from parents, teachers, and peers can also play a crucial role in helping them overcome challenges and build self-confidence.
Within the Codex360 programme we specilaise in assisting children with DCD (Dyspraxia) and we work individually on focused areas of concern.
Aled Hughes has specilaised in the area of Dyspraxia for the past 20 years and his experience in helping children within this area is second to none.
As all of your pages say “ Move to Learn, Learn to Move”, we work consistently within our sessions in a movement based therapy. Even when we are doing maths, numbers , sequencing and patterns we do it, whilst in locomotion ( moving ) . This “layering” process challenges cognition , the vestibular system, working memory, motor skills ALL at the same time. It is so challenging to begin with BUT with consistency of learning, a growth mindset, a clear visual reminder, visual feedback learning occurs and in turn success is seen by the child. This in turn leads to a safe, positive learning attitude and environment.
Learning to learn and break skills down into “chunks” in my sessions leads to a transfer of learning. This meaning that’s children take this attitude in school, after school classes, social setting and into homelife.
