DYSPRAXIA: a factsheet for students

Contents

What is dyspraxia 1

What are the symptoms 2

Some tips for university 3

Useful websites / books 5

“ 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.”

(www.dyspraxiafoundation.org.uk)

So it affects co-ordination and planning,

both in space and in time. It also often

affects spelling and writing.

It is not related to intelligence. Many

people with dyspraxia are creative, lateral

thinkers with a lot to offer at university and

can do very well with the right support.

1. What is dyspraxia?

In childhood:

Late to sit, stand, walk and talk

Difficulty learning how to run, hop, catch a ball

Tend to avoid sports, especially team games

Poor sense of balance

Difficulty in learning to dress, tie shoelaces, knot a tie

Fall over a lot, drop things – known as „clumsy‟

Untidy handwriting and difficulty in copying

Later:

Difficulty with co-ordination, sense of direction, telling left from right

Difficulty in learning to drive

Still clumsy, dropping and breaking things – accident-prone

Difficulty with shaving, putting on make-up

Difficulty with organisation, untidy

Difficulty with time management, meeting deadlines

Difficulty with spelling, punctuation, organising an essay

Difficulty keeping their place when reading

Poor memory and sequencing.

For a full list of symptoms, see

www.dyspraxiafoundation.org.uk

2. What are the symptoms?

3. Some tips for university

Make an appointment with the

Disability and Dyslexia Service:

018952 65213, email disability@brunel.ac.uk

Make a colourful, weekly timetable to plan your time and put in social and leisure things first; review it weekly until it‟s realistic

Apply for a Disabled Student‟s

Allowance

Write a ‘To Do’ list in order of priority;

tick things off as you do them

Use your study skills support

regularly

Stick post-it note reminders on

your door or your mirror

To organise your life, use diaries,

calendars or your mobile phone

calendar

Finish one task before you start

another

Use mind-maps and flowcharts to

help plan work

Read exam questions at least twice and highlight key words

Go over your notes immediately after

a lecture and then again later, and

again…. it‟ll make revision easier

Plan each answer before you start

to write

When revising, make big posters and stick them up in your bedroom

Give yourself rewards for getting an

assignment in on time, or getting a

particular job done

In exams, give each question a

certain amount of time and watch

the clock

Don’t be hard on yourself – you

can do it

Disability and Dyslexia Service Tel: 01895 265213 | Email: disability@brunel.ac.uk | Web: www.brunel.ac.uk/disability

Opening hours: Monday-Friday 9am to 4.30pm | Drop-ins: Wednesday 1-4pm

Useful websites:

www.dyspraxiafoundation.org.uk

www.dyspraxicadults.org.uk

Useful books:

“Dyspraxia: The Hidden Handicap”,

Dr Amanda Kirby, 2002, Souvenir Press.

“Living with Dyspraxia”,

M Colley and the Adult Support Group, Dyspraxia Foundation.