This is a question that has interested me since I first became intrigued with the condition of Dyspraxia, otherwise known as Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). Characterised by poor balance, coordination, and attention, as well as difficulty with fine and gross motor movements, this condition affects at least one child in every classroom in Ireland.
Unfortunately, parents and children are under-represented within the education and health systems, as they are generally required to fight for resources which should be made readily available, such as resource hours, scribes in exams and exemptions for subjects which cause these children considerable stress. These children often have to wait years for
diagnosis as a result of the lack of awareness, as well as the cost and waiting lists associated with visiting Occupational Therapists and Educational Psychologists. Regardless of whether these children have been diagnosed, their experiences are generally the same. Last year, I undertook a number of focus groups with parents and children with Dyspraxia around Ireland to investigate why these children have significantly higher levels of symptoms associated with obesity than typically developing children.
Social exclusion
Children with Dyspraxia are generally isolated from their peers, particularly during team sports with one mother reporting that her son was so unwanted during selection that an argument ensued over which team he would be on: “That’s deplorable on someone’s self-esteem, ”she reported.
Another parent described how her son was ordered by his teacher to “run two laps on his own while everyone watched on and waited,” as punishment because he finished the team lap last.
Can you imagine the humiliation? When these children are being compared to their peers on abilities which they inherently struggle with, it's no wonder they are considered 'weak' but there is systematic failure when any child is subjected to these experiences on a weekly, if not daily, basis. May I also add that from my experience with clients, many of these teachers and trainers are actually the principals. If the principal engages in this type of bullying, what does it say for how we view children in Ireland?
Coach characteristics
A recurrent theme was that using force, and negative comments resulted in children not wanting to return to classes, experiencing heightened levels of anxiety and distress, and believing they were unable to perform an activity, as opposed to actually being less able or needing to practice more.
When we believe we cannot do something, we are massively biased towards not succeeding.
Generally, when children with Dyspraxia experience pressure of any type, it often results in a sensory overload of sorts where they can become emotionally numb, inconsolable or incredibly angry. Fortunately, a recurrent theme in the research was that positive, encouraging, and patient coaches allowed children the time and space they required. Furthermore, allowing them the option to forego certain activities when the children felt as though it was too much for them took a huge burden off their shoulders and significantly reduced their anxiety. Moreover, these coaches were more akin to role models who the children idolised, talked about frequently and remembered even years later.
Frequent breaks and short bouts of high intensity
This pattern of physical activity was preferred by the children as reported by themselves and their parents. Because it takes so much more attention and concentration for a child with Dyspraxia to play a game (or do their homework), they are far more exerted after even fifteen minutes of exercise than a typically developing child. Children with Dyspraxia often appear to have poor posture and dark circles under their eyes, as a result of the continuous physical strain their bodies experience from not having natural coordination and balance. By introducing many breaks, it means that these children can enjoy physical activity but on their terms. When done on OUR terms, it is almost impossible to keep up and makes everyday life a constant struggle.
As a psychologist at Sugru Child Development and Contextual Play Therapy Services, Lorraine Lynch engages with families from all over Ireland, dealing with issues from prenatal woes to teen coping strategies. This piece is to mark Dyspraxia Awareness Week; Sugru also runs Wellness4Kids Summer Camps so that all children can benefit from engaging in activities which promote peer socialisation, mindfulness, safe physical activity from the SmartMoves program, and crafts, such as willow-weaving. 
