Dyslexia and dyspraxia are learning differences that can make school, sport and everyday tasks harder than they need to be. Neither has anything to do with intelligence. With the right support at school and at home, children with dyslexia or dyspraxia can thrive. This guide explains what each one is, the challenges children often face, and how kinesiology can support the stress and confidence side of learning.
What is dyspraxia?
Dyspraxia, also called developmental coordination disorder (DCD), affects how the brain plans and coordinates movement. Children with dyspraxia may find it harder to learn skills such as dressing, using cutlery, handwriting, catching a ball or riding a bike. Some also find it hard to organise themselves or follow a sequence of steps.
What is dyslexia?
Dyslexia is a learning difference that mainly affects reading and spelling. Children with dyslexia often find it hard to link letters with their sounds, so decoding new words, reading fluently and spelling take much more effort. Reading difficulties can sometimes have other causes too, such as vision. See our guide to vision problems and reading in children.
Remember: dyslexia and dyspraxia affect how a child learns, not how clever they are. Many creative, capable adults have one or both. The actor Daniel Radcliffe, for example, has spoken publicly about having dyspraxia.
Common challenges at school
A child may be full of ideas but struggle to get them onto the page. Reading aloud, spelling tests, handwriting, sport and keeping up with classroom instructions can all feel hard. Over time, many children start to feel they are “not good enough”, which can lead to:
- Anxiety about reading aloud or tests
- Avoiding homework or schoolwork
- Frustration, meltdowns or withdrawal
- Low confidence, at school and on the sports field
Getting the right assessment and support
If you think your child may have dyslexia or dyspraxia, start with your GP and your child’s school. Depending on your child’s needs, they may refer you to a paediatrician, educational psychologist, speech pathologist, occupational therapist or optometrist. These professionals can assess your child and put the right learning and therapy support in place.
How kinesiology can support your child
Kinesiology does not diagnose or treat dyslexia or dyspraxia, and it does not replace speech pathology, occupational therapy or learning support. What it can do is help with the stress, frustration and low confidence that so often come with learning differences.
In a session, we use gentle muscle monitoring to identify the stress your child carries around learning, then use balancing techniques to help them feel calmer and more settled. Parents often tell us their child feels more confident about trying, which can make the rest of their support easier to engage with.
Is focus or learning a struggle for you or your child? Find out how our learning and focus sessions can help, or call 0421 055 680 to book your assessment in Sydney City, Surry Hills or Hornsby.
About the author
Sharrda Mani is a Sydney kinesiologist, coach and qualified educator, and the founder of Kinesiology for Performance. She discovered kinesiology in 2004 after three years of part-time study in somatic psychotherapy, trained with the International College of Professional Kinesiology Practice (ICPKP) and has taught Touch for Health. She holds an Honours degree in Mathematics Education and spent years as a business analyst and project manager, so she knows the pressure of work and study first-hand. She is writing a practical guide to ADHD in everyday life.