Types of Learning Difficulties
Dyslexia – Reading Learning Difficulty
Dysgraphia – Written Expression Learning Difficulty
Dyspraxia/Apraxia/Developmental Coordination Disorder - Gross Motor Skill Difficulties
Dyscalculia – Maths Learning Difficulty
Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a learning disorder that affects your ability to read, spell, write, and speak. Common problems include difficulties with reading, comprehension, spelling and writing having trouble connecting letters they see to the sounds those letters make. It's also common for people with dyslexia to also experience difficulties with working memory, attention and organisational skills.
Dysgraphia
Dysgraphia is persistent difficulty with written expression, handwriting and/or spelling that may occur in isolation, but more often occurs in conjunction with dyscalculia. There are two subtypes of dysgraphia:
1. Motor-based – difficulties with the mechanical aspects of writing. Although children are able to structure and sequence their ideas effectively, they struggle with the handwriting task itself.
2. Language-based – the content of the writing is well below the expected level, despite the children being able to present their ideas clearly and concisely orally. There may also be no handwriting difficulties. This subtype is more consistent with delays in processing and sequencing ideas in writing.
Dyspraxia / Apraxia / Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD)
Dyspraxia, Apraxia or Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), is a brain-based motor disorder. It affects fine and gross motor skills, motor planning, and coordination. It’s not related to intelligence, but it can sometimes affect cognitive skills.
Hypermobility and low muscle tone are both symptoms of dyspraxia. The severity of both can reflect on how severely we are affected by our coordination struggles.
Low muscle tone affects the strength of your joints, depending on the severity of your low muscle tone affects how severe your hypermobility is.
Children born with dyspraxia may be late to reach developmental milestones. They also have trouble with balance and coordination. Dyspraxia is a lifelong condition. There’s currently no cure, but there are therapies that can help you effectively manage the disorder.
Source: @OTPlan, 'I Have Dyspraxia'
Source: @krystalbellax, 'Dyspraxia'
Source: @notanautismmom, 'What is Apraxia'
Dyscalculia
Dyscalculia is an innate difficulty in learning or comprehending mathematics. Difficulties include trouble understanding numbers, learning how to manipulate numbers and learning mathematical facts. It's sometimes it is referred to as math dyslexia.
