New research reveals young people with dyspraxia denied access to sport

New research from the Dyspraxia Foundation reveals that children and young people with dyspraxia are being denied access to sport and leisure activities because of poor awareness of the condition.

A recent study from the charity which helps more than 10,000 families a year supports previous research showing that young people are at risk of experiencing social and emotional difficulties and rising obesity levels as a result.

Children with developmental coordination disorder (including dyspraxia) are three times more likely to be overweight than their typically developing peers (1). They are less likely to participate in physical activities such as cycling, football and other sports clubs (2) as activity leaders don't provide the support and understand that they need. Yet participation in team sports and other leisure activities can help to reduce loneliness and social isolation (3).

This week 10th-17th October is Dyspraxia Awareness week and charity is calling for greater awareness of the condition to improve the lives of those affected by the condition.

Chair Sally Payne said "Our recent research has shown that families are facing many problems accessing sport, leisure and social activities. As a consequence young people become even more isolated increasing the risk of long-term problems with physical health and emotional wellbeing. Popular activities such as team sports like football prove impossible for many people with dyspraxia so the choice becomes very limited.

"We want to see more recognition of the condition and more sports and leisure organisations opening their doors to children with disabilities so they can join in and have the benefits of an active lifestyle with more fun and friends. We hope to work with major sporting organisations to create more opportunities for everyone".

This summer the charity held a conference, supported by the Solihull Partnership as part of their 'Together for Disabled Children' programme looking at leisure activities and barriers that might prevent teenagers with dyspraxia making the most of clubs, sport and social groups.

Developmental dyspraxia is an impairment or immaturity of the organisation of movement. It is an immaturity in the way that the brain processes information, which results in messages not being properly or fully transmitted. Dyspraxia affects the planning of what to do and how to do it. It is associated with problems of perception, language and thought.

Dyspraxia is thought to affect up to six per cent of the population and up to two per cent severely. Males are three times more likely to be affected than females. Dyspraxia sometimes runs in families and there may be an overlap with other related conditions.

Other names for dyspraxia include Developmental Co-ordination Disorder (DCD), Perceptuo-Motor Dysfunction, and Motor Learning Difficulties. It used to be known as Minimal Brain Damage and Clumsy Child Syndrome.

Statistically, it is likely that there are two children in every class of 30 children with dyspraxia and there are many adults who are unaware that they have the condition.