When laces tie to the problem, morbidly awkward children become

Dyspraxia: How parents and teachers can help inept children

Not only do awkward children suffer from the fact that many of them do not work so well, but also that they are teased and bullied at school. But they can be helped. The Foundation for Child Health informs on its website about the problems of unskilled children and what parents and teachers can do.

If the child is something different

"Some parents notice at an early age that their child is a bit different," said pediatrician Professor Berthold Koletzko, chairman of the Foundation for Child Health. "It's a bit slower than other kids, learning to walk while learning to walk, maybe learning to speak especially late and otherwise noticeable. For other children, however, the awkwardness only occurs when they come to school and have to deal with pen and paper. ".

With awkward children, many things do not work so well. Often they are teased about it. Experts explain how parents and educators or teachers can help. (Image: gpointstudio / fotolia.com)

Problems with dressing

Awkward children often have trouble dressing or putting on socks. Closing or unbuttoning or operating zippers is difficult for them, as well as shoe-tightening or tying shoelaces.

The use of tools is often a game of patience: Eating with a knife and fork makes them as difficult as brushing teeth.

They move their hands clumsily and have difficulty painting, gluing, kneading, cutting, erasing or throwing. The catching of a ball poses great problems.

At school, the child often comes up with slow writing, messy writing and clumsy handling of scissors or glue.

It proves to be awkward in sports and games, balances badly and shows weaknesses in climbing, cycling and especially in dealing with balls.

Circumscribed developmental disorder of motor functions

As explained by the Foundation for Child Health, these children used to be suspected of having "minimal cerebral dysfunction" (MCD), a mild anomaly of brain function.

Today the medical diagnosis is called "dyspraxia" or one calls the problem a little more complicated than "circumscribed developmental disorder of the motor functions", abbreviated UEMF.

The "International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems" ICD-10 distinguishes between circumscribed developmental disorders of gross motor skills (F82.0) and gross and fine motor skills (F82.1).

The UEMF is a common problem, according to a German-Swiss guideline on medical diagnosis and treatment of the disorder.

Although it leads to significant consequences for the child and the parents and is associated with significant costs, UEMF is unknown or downplayed across much of the health and education sectors, the scientific authors highlight the guideline from both countries.

Up to six percent of children affected

According to current estimates, five to six percent of children are affected by dyspraxia, and boys are up to seven times more likely than girls, according to the Foundation for Child Health.

Premature babies and extremely low birth weight children also seem to be at higher risk.

Children's problems are often not limited to flexibility and dexterity: there are often problems with language development, reading and writing.

In addition, the UEMF often occurs along with a range of emotional, social, and learning disabilities.

The question as to whether these disturbances are accompanying circumstances of dyspraxia or are already to be regarded as the consequences of the negative experiences with "clumsiness" in everyday life, can usually only be answered with difficulty.

Also physical consequences are possible: The clumsy child becomes more often overweight, because it does not like sports and in particular avoids team sports.

It is understandable that the parents of a clumsy child first try to put their child on the right path with loving words, explanations and admonitions. But words alone can not organize the child's special brain structures.

The child has to make his own experiences with different sensations. It needs help and the parents need a lot of patience.

The child needs understanding and support

According to Professor Berthold Koletzko, a reliable diagnosis by the pediatrician is possible and useful from the age of five.

"However, it is not only the education of the parents that is essential, but also the teachers and educators about the problems of the child," says the expert.

It was intended to promote a positive and supportive attitude, as well as to increase sensitivity and acceptance of the children's specific difficulties.

When dealing with clumsy children, parents (and teachers) have something very important to make clear: With blame and admonishments the little dub is not helped.

In general, one should endure the awkwardness of a child (as well as possible) with tolerant cheerfulness, but reward every effort and every success by stroking and hugging, appropriate admiration and praise.

Just as important for awkward children: lots of exercise! Small children get going with big devices like slides, swings, seesaws, tricycles, wheelbarrows, climbing trees, tubes or barrels.

Older children should do a lot of sports: Especially suitable are swimming and riding, cycling, judo and yoga.

It is also important to recognize and reinforce the child's preferences, emphasizes the Foundation for Child Health: Many children with UEMF have special talents in other areas, like to read, are sensitive, creative, imaginative and very communicative.

No clear guidelines for the treatment of dyspraxia

There are no clear guidelines for the treatment of dyspraxia. It is above all occupational therapy, physiotherapy and curative educational approaches that are used in the treatment.

They are designed to improve certain bodily functions such as perception, sensory integration, muscle power and visuomotor (coordinating what is seen with movement) and helping the child perform his everyday tasks more successfully.

The treatment works best when the child determines his actions. He should be offered a wealth of sensory experiences so that he can do things that are needed for his development.

Psychotherapeutic treatment approaches focus more on the emotional state of those affected: they aim to improve self-esteem and help children and adolescents better cope with their day-to-day difficulties.

Controversial occupational therapy

According to the Foundation for Child Health, occupational therapy has been criticized in recent years as a "fashion treatment".

Critics warn against an escalating therapy boom: Even if a child in the kindergarten does not quite tinker or knead, many parents would be confused by the educators with the rash advice to treat their child for alleged developmental arrears with occupational therapy or physiotherapy.

After school enrollment, parents often get the recommendation from the teachers to prescribe occupational therapy to the child due to poor writing or sports performance.

Much to the chagrin of the pediatricians: they are annoyed by the premature diagnoses of uneducated people and feel compelled to not really necessary regulations that overload their limited budget for drug prescriptions.

Develop a healthy self-esteem

Although dyspraxia or UEMF is referred to as a developmental disorder, in the majority of cases it has to be reckoned with that it will not "grow out" even at a later age, the foundation notes Child Health.

According to studies, the motor or language deficits in more than 50 percent of affected children can still be detected in adulthood.

By promoting their abilities, however, children can compensate for their coordination difficulties, expand their ability to act in everyday life, and thus develop healthy self-esteem. (Ad)