Common Causes And Risk Factors For Dyspraxia And Overlapping Conditions

Dyspraxia is a developmental disorder that affects the formation of both gross and fine motor skills. Someone who has dyspraxia may have trouble with hand-eye coordination, muscle strength, determining the proper order of physical tasks, and speech. It overlaps with some other conditions, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, but is not quite the same. Dyspraxia does not always manifest obviously, so it often requires a professional diagnosis to recognize it and recommend courses of treatment. We have made a list of some of the most common causes and risk factors of someone developing dyspraxia. This disorder exists in both children and adults; mental conditions do not go away just because someone reaches an arbitrary age. Dyspraxia is not directly diagnosed. Instead, professionals observe the child and work to rule out other possibilities. Get to know the risk factors and causes of dyspraxia now.

Improper Development Of Nerve Cells

Improper development of nerve cells occurs for a variety of reasons, such as poor childhood nutrition, injury, and hereditary disorders. The nerve cells, or neurons, are responsible for communicating messages throughout your nerve system. The brain receives external stimuli, like an instruction, via sensory neurons. The message travels into the brain, through the appropriate areas, and the brain generates a response to sent through motor neurons that control muscles. If these nerve cells do not grow properly, they cannot send messages, develop neural pathways, or control muscle tissue. The diminished ability to form neural connections also contributes to learning and memory issues.

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Hereditary Component

We do not know exactly what causes dyspraxia, but it is believed a hereditary component exists. A study performed in 2007 showed thirty-two percent of individuals with coordination issues similar to dyspraxia had family members who had the same issues, suggesting it could be passed down through family lines. This level of frequency suggests any genetic conditions that contribute to dyspraxia are recessive. In other words, both parents would have to exhibit symptoms to pass it down to the child. If the frequency were reported to be higher, it could be assumed to be a dominant gene.

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Low Birth Weight

A low birth weight indicates a possible lack of prenatal nutrition. If the child did not receive enough nutrients in the womb, the nerve cells would not have been able to grow and form proper neural pathways. Most of the nutrients would have been devoted to keeping the fetus alive by diverting resources away from systems the developing body deemed to be non-critical. A properly-developed baby should weigh anywhere between five and eight pounds. Falling slightly below this range does not always indicate future problems. Low birth weight can also be a result of prematurity, which is itself another risk factor of dyspraxia.

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Premature Birth

Someone born prematurely is likely to experience learning disabilities, including dyspraxia. The human body requires nine months of development in the womb and being born before this is completed arrests the development that would otherwise occur. Premature delivery is defined as happening before week thirty-seven of the pregnancy; or about a month before the due date. The earlier the birth, the more likely it is for the child to develop difficulties. In extreme cases of premature birth, the baby may not survive. Premature birth can be caused by many factors, such as stress, poor nutrition, or substance abuse.

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Substance Abuse During Pregnancy

A woman who partakes in substance abuse during pregnancy puts the unborn baby at risk of a host of complications such as dyspraxia. Everything put into the body goes through the placenta and the umbilical cord, which supplies the fetus with nutrients in proportion to the mother's intake. Substances like marijuana, alcohol, and nicotine have psychoactive and addictive properties even for fully-grown adults. A fetus, which has a much lower weight, would receive a higher relative concentration of the drug. During the formative years, it is especially detrimental. This is why medical professionals urge mothers-to-be to carefully monitor what they put in their bodies during pregnancy.

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Dyslexia

Also known as reading disorder, dyslexia is a type of learning disorder that impacts reading, writing, and spelling skills. This condition, which often overlaps with dyspraxia, often becomes apparent during early childhood. Patients may have difficulty learning numbers, and they could misspell words. They may have trouble with naming and recalling letters, numbers, and colors, and some patients with dyslexia also have speech delays. Dyslexia can cause individuals to read well below their grade and age level, and they may have difficulty seeing the similarities and differences in words and letters. Dyslexic patients might spend longer than their peers on homework that involves reading or writing. Dyslexia is treated with educational techniques. For example, the patient may use their finger to trace letters and words, and listening to an audio recording of a book or lecture may be recommended. In the United States, patients with dyslexia are given an individual education plan at school so heir educational needs can be met.

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Dyscalculia

Dyscalculia is a math-related learning disorder often diagnosed in childhood, and like dyslexia, often overlaps with dyspraxia. Patients with this condition may have trouble with basic arithmetic, and they could struggle to understand which numbers are bigger or smaller. They have difficulty with more complex math such as algebra, geometry, and calculus as well. Patients with dyscalculia are affected in different ways. For example, some might have trouble making change and estimating time. Others could struggle with remembering multiplication tables, holding numbers in their mind while solving an equation, or judging speed and distance. Children who show possible signs of dyscalculia can receive a diagnostic evaluation for free at their school. If dyscalculia is diagnosed, children will be given an individual education plan. Accommodations such as extra time for homework assignments or tests and individual math tutoring sessions may be considered. Adults with this condition can get accommodations at their workplace as well.

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Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism spectrum disorder is a neurological condition that causes changes in the way an individual socializes with others and interacts with their surroundings. Each patient with autism is affected differently. Some may have difficulty with language skills or communicating with others, and others could have passionate interests in specific subjects. Some patients might display repetitive motion, including rocking or flapping their hands, and others may be non-verbal. Autism is a lifelong condition, and it can be diagnosed with developmental screenings and other tests such as behavioral evaluations and occupational therapy screenings. Treatment options for autism include a combination of physical therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, behavioral therapy, and play therapy. Some patients may benefit from using massage therapy and weighted blankets for relaxation.

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Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that usually starts in early childhood. Patients with ADHD might have trouble with concentration, and they could struggle to regulate impulsive behaviors. They may act without thinking about the possible results of their actions. These individuals are often overly active as well, and they could have trouble sitting for more than a few minutes. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder may cause children to talk too much and to fidget or squirm in their seats, and they might have trouble resisting temptation, taking turns, and getting along with others. They could tend to daydream a lot, and they might forget or lose items frequently. ADHD may cause problems with school performance and with socializing, and the condition usually persists into adulthood. To diagnose attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, doctors will need to perform a physical examination that includes vision and hearing tests. These tests are necessary to eliminate other possible causes of the patient's symptoms. The child's parents and teachers will be asked about the history of the child's symptoms and about which seem most prominent. Sometimes, the child might also be asked to give a history of his or her symptoms as well. Treatment usually includes a combination of medication and behavioral therapy. For children in preschool, most experts suggest trying behavioral therapy and parental training before medication is considered. Patients will be closely monitored by their healthcare team, and treatment plans will be adjusted as needed.

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Childhood Apraxia Of Speech

Childhood apraxia of speech is an uncommon condition that impacts a patient's speech. The condition causes the patient to have trouble making accurate movements during speech. Although the muscles needed for speaking are not weak, the brain struggles to coordinate the proper movements required for speech. When childhood apraxia of speech is present, the patient might start speaking later than others, and might only be able to form a few vowel or consonant sounds. The child may have a limited number of spoken words in general. Between the ages of two and four, patients with this condition might place a separation between syllables while speaking, and vowel and consonant sounds could be distorted. Voicing errors might occur as well. To diagnose childhood apraxia of speech, children will have hearing tests, a speech evaluation, and oral-motor tests. Treatment includes speech therapy with speech drills, vowel practice, and sound and movement exercises. Parents will also be encouraged to practice speaking skills with their child at home and to review what was learned in speech therapy.