How to help a child with dyspraxia?

[Alenee]

I'm fairly certain that my 9yo dd has dyspraxia.

 

-Means to write a particular number or letter but either writes it backward or misses it all together.

 

-Usually catches herself when she writes it backward but becomes extremely frustrated.

 

-Can tell you she recognizes this as a problem.

 

-Has always had problems with clumsiness and deals with mild to moderate sensory processing disorder (was diagnosed with SPD at age 4).

 

-Has an ADD diagnosis as well as anxiety and is on Welbutrin for the anxiety.

 

So how do I help her with the dyspraxia? I'm at a loss! She's becoming increasingly frustrated with school work that has anything to do with writing.

[PeterPan]

Carli, she may very well have some dyspraxia, but those reversals might actually be caused by her eyes, not motor control. I would get her vision checked by a developmental optometrist. http://www.covd.org

[siloam]

I work with sand letter cards, using a multi-sensory method of forming the letters. The brain stores each sense in a different part of the brain, so the more senses used the better the recall. I generally work with them daily for a whole year (yes tedious). But I saw a lot of improvement by the time we were done. I also would use a box of sand and just have them write the letter in it, as a break from the routine. Each child did a year of manuscript and a year of cursive.

 

I would also work on encouraging the child to recognize everyone has strengths and weaknesses. This is one issue that is a weakness. My kids are lucky that I have the same issues, so they have learned to laugh at their own errors because I laugh at mine. You might make an effort to point out your own errors in an area, to show your weaknesses.

 

Teach her to type so she can type writing assignments.

 

Allow her to use graph paper for math, as needed.

 

BTW we did try vision therapy here and it didn't help. Here it is a processing issue not an eye problem. But I have had friends who's children did have eye problems, and VT corrected it. And I had one friend who's child had both vision problems and still had processing problems as well.

 

Heather

[peacefully]

.

[VinNY]

My dtr is dypraxic. We get OT, speech and now are doing VT. I needed outside help to even get any school work accomplished.

 

I found the book by Madeline Portwood Developmental Dyspraxia to be very helpful. She has an intervention plan at the back of the book for different age levels. I used this when I couldn't afford private OT last year. My dtr's issues are so severe that I am now getting services from the school district..which I am grateful because I couldn't do it by myself (she has CAPD and expressive language delays,too as well as below avg IQ)

 

Dyspraxic kids need core and balance work, left-right work,spatial awareness exercise etc. She addresses this in her book. Gymnastics, karate, dance, swimming, biking are all good exercises for dyspraxia. My dtr didn't learn to ride a bike until almost 9. She finally put her head under water and doggie paddled last summer.

[VinNY]

Oh I meant to add..my dtr has anxiety..which I was told by the OT and VT doc can be attributed to her poor sense of spatial awareness and perceptual skills. Think about someone navigating stairs without a sense of spatial awareness..you would be a nervous nelly. ANyway, I would get her checked out by an OT and a COVD Dr. We are seeing a decrease in her anxiety issues since being in (perpetual:001_smile:) therapy.