What is dyspraxia?

Dyspraxia, also known as Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), is a lifelong condition that emerges in childhood but continues to impact people throughout their teenage years and into adulthood.

Understanding the symptoms of dyspraxia in teenagers is important for finding the right support and accommodations during a critical stage of development. In this blog post, we will explore the symptoms of dyspraxia in teenagers and how Aim Forward can offer insights and support to help them thrive.

Dyspraxia in adolescence

Dyspraxia is a specific learning difficulty (SpLD) characterised by difficulties in motor coordination, planning, and execution of movements. It mostly affects physical skills, but it can also influence other areas of functioning, including organisation, processing sensory information, and social interaction.

Common symptoms of dyspraxia in teenagers

Fine motor difficulties:

• Handwriting: Dyspraxic teenagers often have difficulties with handwriting, which may be hard to read, inconsistent, and require a lot of effort.
• Using tools: Finding it hard to use tools and utensils, like scissors or cutlery, can persist.
• Buttoning and zipping: Having trouble fastening buttons, zippers, or managing clothing items that require coordinating your finger movements is common.

Gross motor challenges:

• Balance and coordination: Dyspraxic teenagers may have ongoing difficulties with balance, coordination, and taking part in sports or physical activities.
• Sports and physical education: The inability to excel in sports and physical education classes can affect self-esteem and motivation to take part.

Organisation and planning:

• Time management: Dyspraxic teenagers may find it challenging to manage their time efficiently, leading to missed deadlines and stress.
• Organisation: Difficulty organising tasks, keeping track of assignments, and managing daily routines can affect academic performance.

Sensory sensitivities:

• Sensory processing: Sensory sensitivities, like heightened responses to sounds, textures, or lights, can persist and affect daily life.

Speech and language difficulties:

• Pronunciation: Pronunciation issues, articulation challenges (forming certain sounds), or speech clarity problems from early childhood may continue into the teenage years.

Social and emotional impact:

• Anxiety and Frustration: Dyspraxic teenagers may experience anxiety and frustration when confronted with daily challenges.
• Social interaction: Difficulties in social settings, like maintaining eye contact, reading non-verbal cues, or taking part in group activities, can be persistent.

Academic performance:

• Handwriting and assignments: Handwriting that is hard to read and difficulty with written assignments can affect academic achievement.

Aim Forward: supporting teens with dyspraxia

Recognising and understanding the symptoms of dyspraxia in teenagers is important for identifying the right support and accommodations. Aim Forward specialises in comprehensive assessments and support for dyspraxic teenagers. Here’s how we can assist:

• Accurate assessment: Aim Forward offers accurate assessments to diagnose a specific learning difficulty (SpLD) with traits of dyspraxia and identify the impact it has on a person’s life.
• Personalised recommendations: Following assessment, we can provide personalised strategies and recommendations to help dyspraxic individuals navigate daily challenges.
• Access to coaching: Aim Forward can support dyspraxic people to embed and learn new strategies and techniques designed to address specific needs.

Dyspraxia does not disappear in teenage years; it continues to influence various areas of a teenager’s life. Recognising the symptoms of dyspraxia in teenagers is the first step toward obtaining the support and accommodations needed to thrive in education, social interactions, and daily activities. Aim Forward is committed to assisting teenagers with dyspraxia on their journey to achieving their full potential and building a strong foundation for adulthood.