They're not all the same.

When I was in school I had never heard of neurological conditions like dyspraxia or dyscalculia. I knew about dyslexia because a lot of the men in my family, including my brother , had it and eventually I came to know what ADHD and Asperger's were when I would be diagnosed with them in my teens. Still, unless we know someone with one or more of these conditions, often times we don't know what they are or how they differentiate from one another. I've often come across people confused about the differences between dyspraxia, dyslexia, dyscalculia and dysgraphia. They are actually quite different from each other with only a slight similarity between dyslexia and dysgraphia as they both affect a child's writing. Other than that these neurological conditions impact how our children learn in very different ways. I could write essays on each condition alone but for now here are four short summaries on what dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia and dyspraxia are.

Dysgraphia

Probably the lesser known of the four Dysgraphia is a learning difficulty that specifically affect writing. Children with dysgraphia can find it challenging to write legibly or to write quickly. It can also make it difficult for children to explain their thoughts and emotions in written form.

Dyscalculia

Dyscalculia can cause issue with a child's ability to comprehend anything numerical or mathematical. Children with dyscalculia will have difficulty remembering tables, measurements, fractions and will struggle to do calculations.

Dyslexia

Probably the most well known of these neurological conditions is dyslexia with can impair a child's ability to read and write. Children with dyslexia will often struggle to read at the same level as their peers as letters may appear to move or become jumbled to them.

Dyspraxia

Dyspraxia affects the fine motor skills of children and can often be mistaken for clumsiness. Children with dyspraxia will have difficulty with things like tying their shoe laces, zipping up their coat or doing up buttons. None of these conditions affect the intelligence of the child and a lot of the time children with these difficulties are often incredibly creative and inventive, thinking outside of the box when it comes to learning new skills. It's also important never to self diagnose your child from anything you read online but if you do feel that your child might have one of the above conditions please consult your doctor for further advice.