Understanding Motor Planning, Praxis, and Dyspraxia

If you’ve been informed by health professionals that your child has difficulties with motor planning, praxis, or dyspraxia, you might be wondering what these terms really mean and how they affect your child’s daily life. Motor planning is an essential skill that allows your child to think through and execute movements to achieve a specific goal. Whether it's getting dressed, playing a game, or riding a bike, motor planning is behind every coordinated action your child performs.

Understanding what motor planning involves, recognizing the signs of difficulties, and knowing how occupational therapy can help are crucial steps in supporting your child’s development. In this blog, we’ll break down these concepts, offer practical advice, and show how our clinic can be your partner in helping your child thrive.

"I've Been Told My Child Has Challenges with Motor Planning, Praxis, or Dyspraxia—What Does That Mean?"

What Is Motor Planning and Why Is It Important for My Child?

Motor planning, also known as praxis, is your child's ability to figure out how to move their body to achieve a specific goal. It's like the brain’s blueprint for action. Motor planning involves four key steps:

Ideation: This is when your child comes up with an idea of what they want to do. For example, they might decide to build a tower with blocks.
Planning: Here, your child determines the sequence of movements needed to carry out their idea, such as deciding which block to place first and how to stack them.
Execution: Finally, your child carries out the plan, coordinating their body movements to complete the task.

Feedback/Adaptation: After attempting to build the tower, your child reflects on how it went. For example, if the tower keeps falling because they stacked blocks unevenly, they might realize that they need to place larger blocks at the bottom for better stability. This reflection helps them adjust their approach in future attempts, like ensuring the base is solid before adding more blocks.

When motor planning works well, children can perform everyday activities like dressing, playing, and writing with ease. But when there are difficulties in this process, even simple tasks can become challenging.

What Are the Signs My Child Might Have Motor Planning Difficulties?

If your child struggles with motor planning, you might notice they have trouble completing tasks that require multiple steps or sequencing like getting dressed or following instructions in a game. They might also seem clumsy or uncoordinated and find it hard to keep up with peers during physical activities. It is important to note that these challenges are not due to a lack of intelligence or effort; rather, they stem from the brain's difficulty in planning and executing movements.

How Is Motor Planning More Than Just Moving?

It’s important to understand that motor planning is more than just physical movement. It involves a combination of sensorimotor and cognitive processes behind that movement. For instance, when a child decides to play a game, they must think about the steps involved, organize those steps in their mind, and then physically carry them out with their bodies. This complex interaction between thinking and doing is at the heart of praxis. When a child has difficulty with motor planning, it can affect their confidence and willingness to participate in various activities crucial for their development.

What Activities Can Help Improve My Child’s Motor Planning Skills?

You can support your child's motor planning development at home through fun and engaging activities:

Building Blocks: Encourage your child to construct things using blocks or Lego, which helps them practice planning and sequencing.
Simon Says: Playing this game helps your child follow multi-step instructions and practise ideation by thinking and generating new movements.
Obstacle Courses: Set up simple courses that require your child to plan and execute different movements, like crawling, jumping, or balancing.

When Should I Seek Professional Help for My Child's Motor Planning Issues?

If your child’s difficulties with motor planning are affecting their ability to participate in daily activities, it may be time to seek help from an occupational therapist. Early intervention can be crucial in helping your child develop the necessary skills to succeed.

How Can Occupational Therapy Help My Child with Motor Planning?

Occupational therapists are trained to assess and support children with motor planning difficulties. They can help your child break down tasks into smaller, manageable steps, practice these steps repeatedly, and use techniques that improve coordination and sensory processing. This targeted therapy can make a big difference in your child's ability to perform daily tasks and feel more confident.

How Can Our Clinic Support Your Child?

At Hope Kids OT, we specialize in personalized occupational therapy that addresses motor planning challenges. Our approach includes:

Individualized Assessment: We begin with a thorough assessment to understand your child’s unique needs and challenges.
Customized Therapy Plans: Based on the assessment, we create a tailored therapy plan that focuses on improving motor planning skills through targeted activities and exercises.
Family Involvement: We work closely with families to ensure that therapy goals are integrated into daily routines and provide strategies that parents can use at home.

Ongoing Support: Our team provides continuous support and adjusts therapy plans as needed to ensure progress and address any new challenges.

References:

Ayres, A.J. "Sensory Integration and the Child: Understanding Hidden Sensory Challenges". 25th Anniversary Edition, Western Psychological Services, USA, 2005.

Bundy, A.C., Murray, E.A."Sensory Integration: Theory and Practice". 3rd Edition, F.A. Davis Company, USA, 2002.

Parham, L.D., & Mailloux, Z. "Sensory Integration and Praxis Tests". 2nd Edition, Western Psychological Services, USA, 2015.

Miller, L.J., & Novy, D.M. "Motor Planning and Praxis in Children: What Parents and Teachers Need to Know". TherapyWorks, USA, 2008.

Lindsey, K., & Bennett, J. "Understanding Motor Planning and Praxis in Children". In "Developmental Coordination Disorder: A Research Review", Routledge, USA, 2016.

If you’re concerned about your child’s motor planning abilities, contact us today. Our dedicated team is here to provide the support and resources needed to help your child succeed and feel confident in their abilities.