The challenges presented to adults with dyspraxia can be seen in all aspects of everyday life. Difficulties can have an impact on:

Driving

· Manual dexterity needed for writing and typing

Completing household chores

Personal grooming and self-help activities

· Perception inconsistencies - over- or under-sensitivity to light, touch, space, taste, smell. It is important to note that a person displaying kind of difficulties outlined above does not necessarily have dyspraxia. If a person continues to display these types of difficulty over time, testing for dyspraxia by trained professionals should be considered. Though not always, dyspraxia often co-exists with other learning disabilities, such as dyslexia (difficulty reading, writing and spelling) and dyscalculia (difficulty with mathematics); as well as AD/HD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). The symptoms from these learning disabilities can be similar to those of a person with dyspraxia; and regardless of whether there is an overlap in disabilities, severity and range of difficulties can vary widely.

Other common difficulties facing people with dyspraxia include low self-esteem, depression, mental health problems and emotional and behavioral difficulties. Weaknesses in comprehension, information processing and listening can also contribute to difficulties experienced by people with dyspraxia.

What strategies can help?

There is no cure to dyspraxia, however early intervention can help a person learn to deal with his or her difficulties. Depending on severity of disability, work with occupational, speech and physical therapists can greatly improve a person's ability to function and succeed independently.

Beginning at an early age, it is vital that parents offer their child patience and encouragement. It can be very frustrating to have difficulty communicating or moving, and a parent can ease that frustration by offering help and support in overcoming these difficulties.

All people with dyspraxia need help practicing simple tasks and can benefit from step-by-step progress into more complex activities. Encouraging easy physical activities that develop coordination can increase confidence. It is also important to encourage friendships to broaden a person's experience and understanding of social relationships.