I’m pretty sure that if I did a straw poll of Joe Public – and even staff working in schools – the vast majority would be able to tell me some of the typical characteristics of a child or young person with dyslexia…but would they know anything about dyspraxia, or – to give it its proper ‘medicalised’ name – Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD)? Experience tells me that knowledge and understanding of this particular specific learning difficulty (SpLD) lags considerably behind that of dyslexia, and that they share certain features probably explains why it’s not uncommon for parents to bring their child to me for investigation into dyslexia, when in actual fact, their profile – once it’s unpicked – presents as more indicative of DCD. There can often be a number of hints in the child’s developmental history, shared with me ahead of an assessment visit (e.g. “They still can’t ride a bike without stabilisers,” “They seem to be excessively clumsy,” or “Handwriting is our main concern,” etc. etc.) but as SpLDs can cooccur, it doesn’t necessarily mean I jump on the phone and cancel, or suggest they immediately go knocking on the door of their local NHS paediatric Occupational Therapy team…although that could indeed be a key recommendation, subsequent to my assessment! So, if you’re wondering how you can tell the two apart, or what to look for, read on…
Dyslexia is perhaps one of the most well-known learning difficulties, affecting word-level literacy skills and ordinarily characterised by compromised phonological awareness, as well as difficulties with verbal memory and processing speed. Individuals with dyslexia may therefore struggle with decoding words, identifying and distinguishing between sounds, using sounds to spell, reading and writing with fluency, and so on. Despite having a learning profile which includes areas of strength and having received adequate educational opportunities, individuals with dyslexia are still likely to encounter difficulties in tasks involving reading, spelling and writing.
Dyspraxia is also a specific learning difficulty, and therefore an individual with DCD would be expected to have a profile which includes areas of strength, however, primarily, it affects motor-coordination and planning, balance and proprioception (the sense that lets you know where your body parts are and how they move without looking at them) and executive functions such as memory, concentration and information processing. It can thus affect an individual’s:
- Ability to perform coordinated movements, which can often impact upon activities such as handwriting, tying shoelaces, playing games requiring fine-motor skills, using cutlery, learning to confidently ride a bike or scooter, and participating in sports.
- Execution of movement sequences, which may affect daily occupations such as dressing and eating.
- Ability to carry out tasks requiring either spatial awareness, visual memory and/or confidence with ‘left’ and ‘right’, all of which can impact upon classroom tasks, such as remembering how to set out a particular maths calculation, drawing the axes of a graph, learning how to write letters and numerals, and retaining patterns of letters for reading and spelling.
- Retention of sequences of instructions or language-based information (either heard or read).
- Processing of sensory information: an individual with DCD may experience hypersensitivity or hyposensitivity to sensory stimuli. (This can sometimes present as a child being ‘easily distracted’.)
- Ability to maintain focus and concentration.
On the surface it might seem that it should be really obvious to ‘spot the difference’ between the two differing SpLDs. But, because an individual with dyslexia may exhibit some of the symptoms of DCD, and vice versa (albeit to a lesser degree), it can sometimes be a challenge to establish which one is the primary source of a young person’s difficulties. And, there are some notable overlaps, which can add to the potential confusion!
- Executive function deficits: Both dyslexia and dyspraxia can result in vulnerabilities in organisation, planning, time management, sustained concentration and working memory. These difficulties can impact various aspects of daily life, including performance in academic tasks and social interactions.
- Language and literacy difficulties: Both dyslexia and dyspraxia can involve challenges with language processing and literacy skill development. Individuals with dyslexia may struggle more with the mechanics of reading, spelling and writing, whilst those with dyspraxia may have difficulties with handwriting, language organisation and comprehension, and sometimes with spelling, given that executive functions such as attention and memory both play their part in this particular literacy skill.
- Motor coordination issues: Although DCD primarily affects physical coordination and the planning and execution of movement, some individuals with dyslexia may also experience these types of difficulties, but they may not be as significant.
- Social and emotional impacts: Both dyslexia and dyspraxia can have social and emotional consequences. Children and adults with these conditions may experience frustration, low self-esteem and anxiety due to the challenges they face in academic, social and personal domains.
- Educational implications: Dyslexia and dyspraxia can both impact learning and academic performance. Individuals with these SpLDs may require additional support and adjustments in their educational settings to address their specific needs and to enable them to reach their full potential.
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