Dyspraxia (DCD) in Children: Signs, Support, and How Reflex Integration Can Help

What Is Dyspraxia (Developmental Coordination Disorder)?

Dyspraxia, also known as Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects motor planning and coordination.

In simple terms: The brain has difficulty planning what the body needs to do and executing those movements smoothly.

Dyspraxia affects approximately 5–6% of children – about one or two children in every classroom. It is more common in boys and frequently co-occurs with ADHD, autism, and language disorders.

But dyspraxia is not about intelligence. Children with dyspraxia are often of average or above-average intelligence. They just cannot translate what they want to do into smooth physical action.

Signs of Dyspraxia by Age

Preschool (3–5 years)

Sign What It Looks Like
Late motor milestones Late to crawl, walk, ride a trike
Clumsy Trips often, bumps into furniture
Difficulty with dressing Struggles with buttons, zips, shoes
Messy eating Spills food; difficulty using cutlery
Avoids playground Hesitant on swings, slides, climbing

Primary School (6–11 years)

Sign What It Looks Like
Poor handwriting Illegible; grips pencil too hard or too softly
Difficulty with PE Avoids sports; clumsy; cannot catch or throw
Slow at getting dressed Takes much longer than peers
Messy work Spills glue, cuts ineptly, cannot stay in lines
Struggles with organisation Loses belongings; messy desk and backpack

Secondary School (12+ years)

Sign What It Looks Like
Avoids PE and sports May be teased; develops low self-esteem
Poor typing skills Struggles with keyboard despite practice
Difficulty with driving Takes much longer to learn; spatial awareness issues
Disorganised Late to class, lost homework, messy locker
Emotional impact Anxious, withdrawn, or acting out due to frustration

Why Reflex Integration Helps Dyspraxia

Dyspraxia is strongly associated with retained primitive reflexes. The INPP method, which we use at CogniClinic, was originally developed to address motor difficulties – including dyspraxia.

Retained Reflex How It Contributes to Dyspraxia
ATNR Prevents crossing the midline; affects handwriting, reading, and bilateral coordination
TLR Affects balance and posture; child feels like they are falling when sitting still
Moro Over-reactive startle – affects attention and emotional regulation
Spinal Galant Difficulty sitting still – child wiggles to relieve sensory input

When these reflexes integrate, the brain is freed up to develop voluntary motor control. Children often become less clumsy, more coordinated, and more confident.

Real-World Example

Before therapy: Emma, age 9, was diagnosed with dyspraxia. She could not tie her shoelaces, her handwriting was illegible, and she avoided PE – pretending to be sick every week. Her parents worried about her self-esteem.

Assessment revealed: Retained ATNR, TLR, and spinal Galant reflexes.

After 8 months of reflex integration therapy: Emma learned to tie her shoelaces. Her handwriting was readable. She attended PE for the first time in months and participated in a relay race. Her mother said: "She came home smiling. I cried."

Frequently Asked Questions

Is dyspraxia the same as clumsiness?
No. Many children are clumsy. Dyspraxia affects coordination in a way that significantly impacts daily life and learning.

Can a child outgrow dyspraxia?
Some children improve significantly with intervention, but most continue to have some coordination difficulties into adulthood. The goal is functional improvement – not "cure."

Does reflex integration work for dyspraxia?
Yes. The INPP method was specifically developed for motor coordination difficulties and has decades of clinical evidence supporting its use.

Where can I get dyspraxia support in Sligo?
CogniClinic offers INPP-trained reflex integration therapy for dyspraxia – the only clinic in the Northwest offering this specialist service.

Next Steps

If your child is clumsy, struggles with fine motor tasks, avoids PE, and seems "behind" their peers in coordination – a neurodevelopmental assessment can identify whether retained reflexes are contributing.

📞 Contact CogniClinic: +353 87 7919020
✉️ Email: hello@cogniclinic.ie
📍 Sligo, Ireland