About Childhood Apraxia
                              (Dyspraxia)
               A= absent / Dys= Difficulty  
                  Praxia= Motor planning

     Childhood Apraxia is the difficulty or inability to execute or carry out learned and familiar movements even though there is adequate motor and conceptual capacity to do so.   Even though the child has the physical ability to do so,their brain prevents them to do the movement.  Apraxia is considered a neurological disorder.  It manifests itself in a variety of ways.  Apraxia is a disorder of motor planning and executing  which may be acquired or developmental.  Depending on what activities the child has trouble with, the Apraxia will fall into a number of categories.  Some children will have more than one.  Verbal and Limb Apraxia maybe refered to as Global Apraxia.

     Orofacial apraxia (buccofacial)- most common.  Difficulty to carry out facial movement on command: mouth looks open, mouth breather, difficulty with chewing, sucking, blowing, makeing sounds, low facial muscle tone (long-droopy, flat-affect).

     Verbal apraxia- difficulty planning the movements necessary for speech.

     Ideomotor apraxia- inability to carry out a motor command: clumsiness, awkwardness in movement, poor balance.

     Ideational apraxia- inability to create a plan for or idea of a specific movement.

     Limb kinetic apraxia- inability to make fine, precise movements with a limb: writing, self-feeding,dressing (buttons, zippers, snaps, utensils, tying, posture, balance, low muscle tone.

     Constructional apraxia- inability to draw or consrtruct simple configurations.

     Oculomotor apraxia- difficulty moving the eyes.

   Apraxia can range in severity from mild  forms called Dyspraxia, to more severe.  Apraxic children will need Physical therapy, Occupational therapy and Speech therapy.  The outcome of the therapies vary from child to child.  The prognosis for these children also vary.  With early, intensive therapy many will improve significantly.  However, other children may show very little improvement.  These children can really benefit with the use of a communication device.

   Estimates of the prevalance of developmental coordination disorders are approx. 6% in children ages 5-11.  Some reports indicate it could be 10-20%.  Males are 4x more likely to have this then females.

     Causes are unknown.  There is a thought that any number of factors such as illness or trauma may adversly affect normal brain development.  Acquired Apraxia is due to brain damage, stroke, accident or trauma.

     Some research has stated that Apraxia is secondary to Sensory Intergration Disorder.  Both these two Dx. can be intertwined with each other called, Sensory Intergration and Motor Disorder (SIMD).