Picture this. It is the inter-house athletics day, and your daughter has been dreading it all week. She trips at the start of the sack race, hears a few giggles from the stands, and spends the afternoon sitting behind the tuck shop. That evening she knocks her juice over at supper and bursts into tears. "I'm just useless," she says, and it breaks your heart, because you know how hard she tries.
What dyspraxia or DCD actually is
Developmental coordination disorder, or DCD, is the formal name for what many people call dyspraxia. It is a lifelong difference in how the brain plans and coordinates movement. It has nothing to do with intelligence, laziness or not paying attention, and many children with DCD are bright, creative and very determined.
It tends to show up in everyday tasks:
- Bumping into furniture, tripping and dropping things.
- Slow, tiring or untidy handwriting.
- Trouble with buttons, shoelaces, cutlery and scissors.
- Difficulty catching a ball, riding a bike or learning a new sport.
- Taking far longer than classmates to get dressed after swimming.
DCD is usually identified by an occupational therapist or physiotherapist together with a paediatrician. See a doctor first if your child's coordination has got worse, if they are losing skills they used to have, or if clumsiness has come on suddenly. Those are not typical of DCD and need a medical check.
Why the body doesn't follow the plan
Every movement, even picking up a cup, has three stages. First the brain has the idea. Then it works out the plan: which muscles, in what order, how hard and how fast. Finally it carries the plan out and adjusts as it goes, using feedback from the eyes, joints and muscles.
In DCD the idea is usually fine. The difficulty lies in the planning and adjusting. Several brain areas have to work in tight time with each other, and when the timing between them is a little off, the movement comes out late, too strong or in the wrong order. Most of us run these movements on autopilot. A child with DCD has to think about each one consciously, which is slow and exhausting.
A child with dyspraxia is not careless. They are concentrating on things the rest of us never have to think about.
The hidden cost: tiredness and confidence
Because so much attention goes into moving, there is less left over for listening and learning. A child may know the answer but lose it while concentrating on forming the letters. By the end of a school day they are worn out.
The emotional side can hurt more than the grazed knees. Being picked last, teased in PE or told to "just be more careful" wears confidence down over time. Some children begin to avoid sport, parties or even school. If that is happening in your home, our articles on school morning anxiety and recovering from bullying may be helpful.
Where neurofeedback may help
Neurofeedback is a complementary form of brain training. Sensors on the scalp read the brain's electrical activity. They only listen, and nothing is sent into the brain. When the brain produces a steadier, more settled rhythm, a video or sound plays smoothly, and when it drifts the feedback fades. The aim is that, with practice, the brain settles into that rhythm more easily. Our introduction to what neurofeedback is goes through this step by step.
One rhythm often used in training is SMR, short for sensorimotor rhythm. It is linked to a calm body and an alert mind. The hope is that supporting it may help a child feel steadier and more focused, although this has not been established for DCD.
Honesty matters here. Research on neurofeedback for DCD itself is limited, and nobody can promise neater handwriting or better ball skills. Motor skills are learnt through practice, and that is the work of occupational therapy and physiotherapy. What neurofeedback may add is a calmer, more attentive brain to bring to that practice. The aims are better concentration, less frustration and a child who is more willing to have a go. Results vary.
What to expect at our practice
Every client begins with a 19-channel brain map, which takes about an hour and a half. Training sessions are 45 to 60 minutes and begin with a short check-in on how your child is feeling.
For a child who spends all day being asked to try harder with their body, it may help to know that neurofeedback involves no physical task. Our what to expect page describes each step, and it is a good idea to let your child's OT know if you start.
Common questions
Will my child grow out of dyspraxia?
DCD is generally lifelong, but that does not mean things stay the same. With occupational therapy, practice and the right support, many children learn the skills that matter to them and find ways around the ones that stay tricky. Many adults with dyspraxia do very well, especially when their strengths were noticed and encouraged early.
Can neurofeedback improve handwriting and coordination?
Nobody can promise that. Handwriting and coordination improve mainly through occupational therapy and practice. Neurofeedback aims to support attention, body calm and frustration tolerance, which may make that practice easier and less upsetting. Results vary from one child to another.
Does neurofeedback replace occupational therapy?
No. Occupational therapy and physiotherapy are the main supports for DCD, because they teach and practise the actual skills. Neurofeedback is a complementary addition that works on how settled and focused the brain is. The two can run alongside each other, and it helps to keep your child's therapist informed.
Your child is working harder than anyone on that sports field can see. If you would like to find out whether neurofeedback could support their focus and confidence alongside their therapy, please get in touch.
- dyspraxia
- dcd
- motor planning
- clumsiness
- special needs
