Definition

Dyspraxia is a neurological disorder of motor coordination usually apparent in childhood that manifests as difficulty in thinking out, planning out, and executing planned movements or tasks. The term dyspraxia derives from the Greek word praxis, meaning "movement process."

Description

The earliest description of a syndrome of clumsiness, termed "congenital maladroitness," dates back to the turn of the twentieth century. Since that time, numerous names have been given to this syndrome of impaired coordination, including dyspraxia, developmental dyspraxia, developmental coordination disorder, clumsy child syndrome, and sensory integration disorder. Some sources ascribe different meanings to these terms, while others use them interchangeably. Researchers commonly use the term developmental coordination disorder (DCD); DCD is classified by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental...