What is Dyspraxia?
Developmental Dyspraxia is often known by many different names, these include 'developmental co-ordination disorder', 'the hidden handicap', 'motor learning problems', 'minimal brain dysfunction', 'sensory integrative problems' and ‘perceptuo-motor dysfunction. Developmental Dyspraxia is thought to be a neurologically based disorder, a motor planning difficulty that is present from birth. It is believed to be an immaturity of the motor cortex part of the brain that prevents messages from being properly transmitted to the body. It is thought to affect up to one in 20 children. With boys identified four times more frequently than girls.
There are three types of Developmental Dyspraxia. Oral Dyspraxia,Verbal Dyspraxia and Motor Dyspraxia. Oral Dyspraxia affects children at the level of reproduction of movements of the mouth; children have a hard time making the correct movements with their mouth for the formation of words. Motor Dyspraxia can be seen to inhibit an individual from moving as planned, Motor Dyspraxia also effects the organization of sensory input. Verbal Dyspraxia causes children to have difficulties making sounds into words. Verbal Dyspraxia is often characterized by an individual’s difficulty in producing speech sounds and in sequencing them together into words. Expressive language is usually delayed. Often children with Verbal Dyspraxia are also diagnosed with oral or Motor Dyspraxia too. It is however, important to recognise the distinction between these different terms.Dyspraxia can be defined as an impairment or immaturity of the organisation of movement which, in most cases, is associated language, perception and thought problems.
Children suffering from dyspraxia may demonstrate the following types of difficulties:
The development of the ear is characterized by its precocity, it starts within the first few weeks of the fetus' life and is functional at 4 1/2 months of prenatal life. There are two parts in the inner ear which work together - the vestibular apparatus and the cochlea.
The vestibular apparatus monitors the interaction between the body and the environment, whether static or dynamic. It is thanks to the vestibular apparatus that we can move with a sense of balance, co-ordination and remain upright. Every single muscle of the body informs and receives information from the vestibular apparatus. During the first years of life children manage to build up a correct ".body image" or "body awareness" thanks to a good vestibular integration.
Another function of the vestibular apparatus is to provide the necessary stimulation to the cortex. In other words. the ears act as generators supplying the brain with the energy it requires to be active.
Once the vestibular apparatus is well integrated, the cochlea is able to function in an optimum way. The cochlea's role is to perceive and analyse the sounds (thus language). This will only be achieved when the vestibular apparatus is maintaining a good motor control i.e. balance, verticality and co-ordination. In other words, we need full motor integration to not only hear but to start listening and communicating.
Tomatis Method of therapy provides a stimulation to the ears via the Electronic Ear which is a set of headphones and an electronic device which filters sounds in such a way that the ears are "forced" to function properly. It triggers an intense stimulation of the vestibular apparatus and helps the children to improve their balance and co-ordination, as well as their gross and fine motor skills.
In parallel with the motor progress, the ability to listen and therefore to speak and communicate improves greatly. This methods helps the ears to mature which has been delayed for various reasons and helps the children to use more of their "locked up" potential.
There are three types of Developmental Dyspraxia. Oral Dyspraxia,Verbal Dyspraxia and Motor Dyspraxia. Oral Dyspraxia affects children at the level of reproduction of movements of the mouth; children have a hard time making the correct movements with their mouth for the formation of words. Motor Dyspraxia can be seen to inhibit an individual from moving as planned, Motor Dyspraxia also effects the organization of sensory input. Verbal Dyspraxia causes children to have difficulties making sounds into words. Verbal Dyspraxia is often characterized by an individual’s difficulty in producing speech sounds and in sequencing them together into words. Expressive language is usually delayed. Often children with Verbal Dyspraxia are also diagnosed with oral or Motor Dyspraxia too. It is however, important to recognise the distinction between these different terms.Dyspraxia can be defined as an impairment or immaturity of the organisation of movement which, in most cases, is associated language, perception and thought problems.
Children suffering from dyspraxia may demonstrate the following types of difficulties:
- Poor gross and fine motor skills, awkward movement and clumsiness.
- Speech delay.
- Poor attention and concentration
- Poor social and communication skills.
The development of the ear is characterized by its precocity, it starts within the first few weeks of the fetus' life and is functional at 4 1/2 months of prenatal life. There are two parts in the inner ear which work together - the vestibular apparatus and the cochlea.
The vestibular apparatus monitors the interaction between the body and the environment, whether static or dynamic. It is thanks to the vestibular apparatus that we can move with a sense of balance, co-ordination and remain upright. Every single muscle of the body informs and receives information from the vestibular apparatus. During the first years of life children manage to build up a correct ".body image" or "body awareness" thanks to a good vestibular integration.
Another function of the vestibular apparatus is to provide the necessary stimulation to the cortex. In other words. the ears act as generators supplying the brain with the energy it requires to be active.
Once the vestibular apparatus is well integrated, the cochlea is able to function in an optimum way. The cochlea's role is to perceive and analyse the sounds (thus language). This will only be achieved when the vestibular apparatus is maintaining a good motor control i.e. balance, verticality and co-ordination. In other words, we need full motor integration to not only hear but to start listening and communicating.
Tomatis Method of therapy provides a stimulation to the ears via the Electronic Ear which is a set of headphones and an electronic device which filters sounds in such a way that the ears are "forced" to function properly. It triggers an intense stimulation of the vestibular apparatus and helps the children to improve their balance and co-ordination, as well as their gross and fine motor skills.
In parallel with the motor progress, the ability to listen and therefore to speak and communicate improves greatly. This methods helps the ears to mature which has been delayed for various reasons and helps the children to use more of their "locked up" potential.